Liquid crystal display device

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides a liquid crystal display device having a high display quality. The liquid crystal display device displays an image by applying a voltage by a first electrode and a second electrode across a liquid crystal layer which takes a vertical alignment in the absence of an applied voltage. The first electrode includes a lower conductive layer, a dielectric layer covering at least a portion of the lower conductive layer, and an upper conductive layer provided on one side of the dielectric layer which is closer to the liquid crystal layer. The upper conductive layer includes a first opening, and the lower conductive layer is provided so as to oppose at least a portion of the first opening via the dielectric layer.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display device. More specifically, the present invention relates to a liquid crystal display device having a wide viewing angle characteristic and capable of performing a high quality display.

[0002] In recent years, liquid crystal display devices, which are thin and light in weight, are used for personal computers and PDA (personal digital assistance) devices. However, conventional twist nematic (TN) type and super twist nematic (STN) type liquid crystal display devices have a narrow viewing angle. Various technical developments have been undertaken to solve the problem.

[0003] A typical technique for improving the viewing angle characteristic of a TN or STN type liquid crystal display device is to add an optical compensation plate thereto. Another approach is to employ a transverse electric field mode in which a horizontal electric field with respect to the substrate plane is applied across the liquid crystal layer. Transverse electric field mode liquid crystal display devices have been attracting public attention and are mass-produced in recent years. Still another technique is to employ a DAP (deformation of vertical aligned phase) mode in which a nematic liquid crystal material having a negative dielectric anisotropy is used as a liquid crystal material and a vertical alignment film is used as an alignment film. This is a type of ECB (electrically controlled birefringence) mode, in which the transmittance is controlled by using the birefringence of liquid crystal molecules.

[0004] While the transverse electric field mode is an effective approach to improve the viewing angle, the production process thereof imposes a significantly lower production margin than that of a normal TN type device, whereby it is difficult to realize stable production of the device. This is because the display brightness or the contrast ratio is significantly influenced by variations in the gap between the substrates or a shift in the direction of the transmission axis (polarization axis) of a polarizing plate (polarizer) with respect to the orientation axis of the liquid crystal molecules. It requires further technical developments to be able to precisely control these factors and thus to realize stable production of the device.

[0005] In order to realize a uniform display without display non-uniformity with a DAP mode liquid crystal display device, an alignment control is necessary. An alignment control can be provided by, for example, subjecting the surface of an alignment film to an alignment treatment by rubbing. However, when a vertical alignment film is subjected to a rubbing treatment, rubbing streaks are likely to appear in the displayed image, and it is not suitable for mass-production.

[0006] Another approach proposed in the art for performing an alignment control without a rubbing treatment is to form a slit (opening) in an electrode so as to produce an inclined electric field and to control the orientation direction of the liquid crystal molecules by the inclined electric field (e.g., Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 6-301036). However, a study by the present inventors has shown that this approach has the following problems.

[0007] With a slit (opening) in an electrode for producing an inclined electric field, a sufficient voltage cannot be applied across the liquid crystal layer in regions corresponding to the slits in the electrode, whereby the orientation of the liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer in the regions corresponding to the slits cannot be sufficiently controlled, thereby resulting in loss of transmittance in the presence of an applied voltage.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] In view of the above-mentioned conventional problems, the present invention has been devised for the purpose of realizing a liquid crystal display device having a high display quality and a method for producing the same.

[0009] A liquid crystal display device of the present invention includes: a first substrate, a second substrate, and a liquid crystal layer provided between the first substrate and the second substrate; and a plurality of picture element regions each defined by a first electrode provided on one side of the first substrate which is closer to the liquid crystal layer and a second electrode provided on the second substrate so as to oppose the first electrode via the liquid crystal layer, wherein: the liquid crystal layer in each of the plurality of picture element regions takes a vertical alignment in the absence of an applied voltage between the first electrode and the second electrode, and changes its orientation according to a voltage applied between the first electrode and the second electrode; the first electrode includes a lower conductive layer, a dielectric layer covering at least a portion of the lower conductive layer, and an upper conductive layer provided on one side of the dielectric layer which is closer to the liquid crystal layer; and the upper conductive layer includes at least one first opening, and the lower conductive layer is provided so as to oppose at least a portion of the at least one first opening via the dielectric layer. Thus, the above-described object is achieved. The upper conductive layer including the first opening functions to produce an inclined electric field at the edge portion of the first opening so as to orient the liquid crystal molecules into a radially-inclined orientation (or radially-inclined alignment). Since an electric field from the lower conductive layer is applied to a region opposing the first opening, the orientation of the liquid crystal molecules located above the first opening is stabilized.

[0010] Preferably, the lower conductive layer is provided in a region including a region opposing the at least one first opening via the dielectric layer. Thus, the electric field can effectively act upon the liquid crystal layer above the first opening.

[0011] The at least one first opening may have a square shape or a circular shape.

[0012] Preferably, the at least one first opening of the upper conductive layer includes a plurality of first openings. With a structure having a plurality of first opening, it is possible to achieve a stable radially-inclined orientation across the entire picture element region. Moreover, it is possible to suppress the decrease in the response speed.

[0013] Preferably, the plurality of first openings of the upper conductive layer are regularly arranged. Particularly, it is preferred that the plurality of first openings are arranged so as to have rotational symmetry.

[0014] The dielectric layer may include a depressed portion or an opening in the at least one first opening. With a structure where the dielectric layer includes a depressed portion or an opening, it is possible to suppress the voltage drop due to the dielectric layer. Moreover, it is possible to adjust the thickness of the liquid crystal layer.

[0015] The lower conductive layer may include a second opening in a region opposing the first opening. The second opening functions to stabilize the center of the radially-inclined orientation of the liquid crystal layer in the first opening.

[0016] One of the upper conductive layer and the lower conductive layer may be a transparent conductive layer, with the other one of the upper conductive layer and the lower conductive layer being a reflective conductive layer. Particularly, with a structure where the upper conductive layer is a reflective electrode and the lower conductive layer is a transparent electrode, it is possible to optimize each of the display characteristics in the transmission mode and the display characteristics in the reflection mode.

[0017] Preferably, the at least one first opening of the upper conductive layer includes a plurality of first opening; and a plurality of liquid crystal domains are formed in response to a voltage applied between the first electrode and the second electrode, each of the plurality of liquid crystal domains being formed in the liquid crystal layer corresponding to respective one of the first openings provided in the first electrode, and having a radially-inclined orientation.

[0018] The second substrate may further include an orientation-regulating structure in a region corresponding to at least one of the plurality of liquid crystal domains, the orientation-regulating structure exerting an orientation-regulating force for orienting liquid crystal molecules in the at least one liquid crystal domain into a radially-inclined orientation at least in the presence of an applied voltage.

[0019] Preferably, the orientation-regulating structure is provided in a region corresponding to a region in the vicinity of a center of the at least one liquid crystal domain.

[0020] Preferably, in the at least one liquid crystal domain, a direction of orientation regulation by the orientation-regulating structure coincides with a direction of the radially-inclined orientation.

[0021] The orientation-regulating structure may exert an orientation-regulating force for orienting the liquid crystal molecules into a radially-inclined orientation even in the absence of an applied voltage.

[0022] The orientation-regulating structure may be a protrusion protruding from the second substrate into the liquid crystal layer.

[0023] The orientation-regulating structure may include a surface having a horizontal alignment power provided on one side of the second substrate which is closer to the liquid crystal layer.

[0024] The orientation-regulating structure may exert an orientation-regulating force for orienting the liquid crystal molecules into a radially-inclined orientation only in the presence of an applied voltage.

[0025] The orientation-regulating structure may include an opening provided in the second electrode.

[0026] The liquid crystal display device may further include a pair of polarizing plates provided so as to oppose each other via the liquid crystal layer, wherein the pair of polarizing plates are arranged in a crossed-Nicols state.

[0027] Preferably, the liquid crystal display device further includes a pair of quarter-wave plates provided so as to oppose each other via the liquid crystal layer, wherein each of the pair of quarter-wave plates is provided between the liquid crystal layer and a respective one of the pair of polarizing plates.

[0028] More preferably, the liquid crystal display device further includes a pair of half-wave plates provided so as to oppose each other via the liquid crystal layer, wherein each of the pair of half-wave plates is provided between a respective one of the pair of polarizing plates and a respective one of the pair of quarter-wave plates.

[0029] Preferably, slow axes of the pair of quarter-wave plates are arranged so as to be perpendicular to each other.

[0030] Preferably, slow axes of the pair of half-wave plates are arranged so as to be perpendicular to each other.

[0031] Preferably, the liquid crystal layer in each of the plurality of picture element regions takes a spiral orientation in response to a voltage applied between the first electrode and the second electrode.

[0032] More preferably, the liquid crystal layer in each of the plurality of picture element regions includes a minute region which takes a twist orientation along the liquid crystal layer in response to the voltage applied between the first electrode and the second electrode.

[0033] The first substrate may further include an active element for each of the plurality of picture element regions; and the first electrode may be a picture element electrode which is provided for each of the plurality of picture element regions and is switched by the active element, and the second electrode may be at least one counter electrode opposing the plurality of picture element regions. Typically, the counter electrode is a single electrode.

[0034] Another liquid crystal display device of the present invention includes: a first substrate, a second substrate, and a liquid crystal layer provided between the first substrate and the second substrate; and a plurality of picture element regions each defined by a first electrode provided on one side of the first substrate which is closer to the liquid crystal layer and a second electrode provided on the second substrate so as to oppose the first electrode via the liquid crystal layer, wherein: the first electrode includes a lower conductive layer, a dielectric layer covering at least a portion of the lower conductive layer, and an upper conductive layer provided on one side of the dielectric layer which is closer to the liquid crystal layer; and in each of the plurality of picture element regions, the upper conductive layer includes a plurality of openings and a solid portion, the liquid crystal layer taking a vertical alignment in the absence of an applied voltage between the first electrode and the second electrode, a plurality of liquid crystal domains being formed in the plurality of openings or in the solid portion by inclined electric fields produced at respective edge portions of the plurality of openings of the upper conductive layer in response to a voltage applied between the first electrode and the second electrode, each of the plurality of liquid crystal domains taking a radially-inclined orientation, and an orientation of each of the plurality of liquid crystal domains changing according to the applied voltage, thereby producing a display.

[0035] Preferably, at least some of the plurality of openings have substantially the same shape and substantially the same size, and form at least one unit lattice arranged so as to have rotational symmetry.

[0036] Preferably, a shape of each of the at least some of the plurality of openings has rotational symmetry.

[0037] Each of the at least some of the plurality of openings may have a generally circular shape.

[0038] The solid portion may include a plurality of unit solid portions each of which is substantially surrounded by the at least one opening, and each of the plurality of unit solid portions may have a generally circular shape.

[0039] Preferably, in each of the plurality of picture element regions, a total area of the plurality of openings of the first electrode is smaller than an area of the solid portion of the first electrode.

[0040] The liquid crystal display device may further include a protrusion within each of the plurality of openings, the protrusion having the same cross-sectional shape in a plane of the first substrate as that of the plurality of openings, a side surface of the protrusion having an orientation-regulating force of the same direction with respect to liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer as a direction of orientation regulation by the inclined electric field.

[0041] The first substrate may further include an active element provided for each of the plurality of picture element regions; and the first electrode may be a picture element electrode which is provided for each of the plurality of picture element regions and is switched by the active element, and the second electrode may be at least one counter electrode opposing the plurality of picture element regions. Typically, the counter electrode is a single electrode.

[0042] Another liquid crystal display device of the present invention includes: a first substrate, a second substrate, and a liquid crystal layer provided between the first substrate and the second substrate; and a plurality of picture element regions each defined by a first electrode provided on one side of the first substrate which is closer to the liquid crystal layer and a second electrode provided on the second substrate so as to oppose the first electrode via the liquid crystal layer, wherein: in each of the plurality of picture element regions, the liquid crystal layer takes a vertical alignment in the absence of an applied voltage between the first electrode and the second electrode, and changes its orientation according to a voltage applied between the first electrode and the second electrode; the first electrode includes a lower conductive layer, a first dielectric layer including a first opening, a second dielectric layer provided on the lower conductive layer and the first dielectric layer, and an upper conductive layer provided on one side of the second dielectric layer which is closer to the liquid crystal layer; and the upper conductive layer includes at least one conductive layer opening, the lower conductive layer being provided so as to oppose at least a portion of the at least one conductive layer opening via the second dielectric layer, the first opening being provided so as to correspond to the conductive layer opening, and a height of a surface of the second dielectric layer being smaller in the conductive layer opening than in a region where the upper conductive layer is provided.

[0043] The first dielectric layer may be provided on the lower conductive layer, and the first opening may be formed so as to expose a portion of the lower conductive layer.

[0044] The first dielectric layer may be provided under the lower conductive layer, and the lower conductive layer may be provided so as to cover the first opening.

[0045] The first substrate may further include a third dielectric layer under the lower conductive layer, and the third dielectric layer may include a second opening in a region corresponding to the conductive layer opening.

[0046] The first substrate may further include a thin film transistor, and the third dielectric layer may also function as a gate insulating film of the thin film transistor.

[0047] A method of the present invention is a method for producing a liquid crystal display device, the liquid crystal display device including a first substrate, a second substrate, a liquid crystal layer provided between the first substrate and the second substrate, and a plurality of picture element regions each defined by a first electrode provided on one side of the first substrate which is closer to the liquid crystal layer and a second electrode provided on the second substrate so as to oppose the first electrode via the liquid crystal layer, wherein: the first electrode includes a lower conductive layer, a first dielectric layer including a first opening, a second dielectric layer provided on the lower conductive layer and the first dielectric layer, and an upper conductive layer provided on one side of the second dielectric layer which is closer to the liquid crystal layer; and the upper conductive layer includes at least one conductive layer opening, the lower conductive layer being provided so as to oppose at least a portion of the at least one conductive layer opening via the second dielectric layer, the step of providing the first electrode including the steps of: providing a lower conductive layer on a substrate; providing a first dielectric layer including a first opening on the substrate; providing a second dielectric layer on the lower conductive layer and the first dielectric layer, wherein a height of the second dielectric layer is greater in a region corresponding to the first opening than in other regions; and providing an upper conductive layer including a conductive layer opening on the second dielectric layer in the region corresponding to the first opening.

[0048] The first dielectric layer may be provided on the lower conductive layer so that the lower conductive layer is exposed through the first opening.

[0049] The lower conductive layer may be provided on the first dielectric layer so as to cover at least the first opening of the first dielectric layer.

[0050] The method may further include, before the step of providing the lower conductive layer, the step of providing a third dielectric layer including a second opening on the substrate.

[0051] The method may further include the step of providing a thin film transistor on the substrate, wherein the third dielectric layer is provided so as to also function as a gate insulating film of the thin film transistor.

[0052] Another method of the present invention is a method for producing a liquid crystal display device, the liquid crystal display device including a first substrate, a second substrate, a liquid crystal layer provided between the first substrate and the second substrate, and a plurality of picture element regions each defined by a first electrode provided on one side of the first substrate which is closer to the liquid crystal layer and a second electrode provided on the second substrate so as to oppose the first electrode via the liquid crystal layer, wherein: the first electrode includes a lower conductive layer, a dielectric layer covering at least a portion of the lower conductive layer, and an upper conductive layer provided on one side of the dielectric layer which is closer to the liquid crystal layer; and the upper conductive layer includes at least one conductive layer opening, and the lower conductive layer is provided so as to oppose at least a portion of the at least one conductive layer opening via the dielectric layer, the step of providing the first electrode including the steps of: providing a lower conductive layer on a substrate; providing a dielectric film on the lower conductive layer; providing an upper conductive layer including a conductive layer opening on the dielectric film; and partially removing a dielectric film in the conductive layer opening using the upper conductive layer as a mask so as to provide a dielectric layer, wherein a height of a surface of the dielectric layer is smaller in a region corresponding to the conductive layer opening than in other regions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0053] Each of FIG. 1A to FIG. 1C is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating a picture element region of a liquid crystal display device 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0054] Each of FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating a picture element region of other liquid crystal display devices 100′ and 100″, respectively, according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0055] Each of FIG. 3A to FIG. 3C is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating a picture element region of a conventional liquid crystal display device 200.

[0056] Each of FIG. 4A to FIG. 4C is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating a picture element region of a liquid crystal display device 300 for comparison.

[0057]FIG. 5A to FIG. 5D schematically illustrate the relationship between an electric force line and an orientation of a liquid crystal molecule.

[0058]FIG. 6A to FIG. 6C schematically illustrate an orientation of liquid crystal molecules in a liquid crystal display device according to one embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the substrate normal direction.

[0059]FIG. 7A and FIG. 7B schematically illustrate exemplary radially-inclined orientations of liquid crystal molecules having spiral patterns.

[0060]FIG. 8A to FIG. 8C schematically illustrate exemplary radially-inclined orientations of liquid crystal molecules.

[0061]FIG. 9A to FIG. 9C schematically illustrate an orientation of liquid crystal molecules in a liquid crystal display device according to one embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the substrate normal direction.

[0062]FIG. 10A and FIG. 10B schematically illustrate exemplary radially-inclined orientations of liquid crystal molecules.

[0063]FIG. 11A to FIG. 11C are cross-sectional views illustrating a picture element region of a liquid crystal display device 400 according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0064]FIG. 12A to FIG. 12C schematically illustrate the relationship between an arrangement of a plurality of square openings and an orientation of liquid crystal molecules.

[0065]FIG. 13A to FIG. 13C schematically illustrate the relationship between an arrangement of a plurality of circular openings and an orientation of liquid crystal molecules.

[0066]FIG. 14 schematically illustrates the relationship between another arrangement of a plurality of circular openings and an orientation of liquid crystal molecules.

[0067]FIG. 15A and FIG. 15B schematically illustrate a picture element region of a liquid crystal display device 400A according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, wherein FIG. 15A is a plan view, and FIG. 15B is a cross-sectional view taken along line 15B-15B′ of FIG. 15A.

[0068]FIG. 16A to FIG. 16C schematically illustrate exemplary radially-inclined orientations of liquid crystal molecules.

[0069]FIG. 17A and FIG. 17B are plan views schematically illustrating other picture element electrodes used in the liquid crystal display device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[0070]FIG. 18A and FIG. 18B are plan views schematically illustrating still other picture element electrodes used in the liquid crystal display device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[0071]FIG. 19A and FIG. 19B are plan views schematically illustrating still other picture element electrodes used in the liquid crystal display device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[0072]FIG. 20 is a plan view schematically illustrating still another alternative picture element electrode used in the liquid crystal display device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[0073]FIG. 21A and FIG. 21B are plan views schematically illustrating still another picture element electrode used in the liquid crystal display device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[0074]FIG. 22A schematically illustrates a unit lattice of the pattern illustrated in FIG. 15A, FIG. 22B schematically illustrates a unit lattice of the pattern illustrated in FIG. 20, and FIG. 22C is a graph illustrating the relationship between a pitch p and a solid portion area ratio.

[0075]FIG. 23A and FIG. 23B schematically illustrate a picture element region of a liquid crystal display device 400B according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention, wherein FIG. 23A is a plan view, and FIG. 23B is a cross-sectional view taken along line 23B-23B′ of FIG. 23A.

[0076]FIG. 24A to FIG. 24D schematically illustrate the relationship between an orientation of liquid crystal molecules 30 a and a surface configuration having a vertical alignment power.

[0077]FIG. 25A and FIG. 25B illustrate a state in the presence of an applied voltage across a liquid crystal layer 30, wherein FIG. 25A schematically illustrates a state where an orientation has just started to change (initial ON state), and FIG. 25B schematically illustrates a steady state.

[0078]FIG. 26A to FIG. 26C are cross-sectional views schematically illustrating liquid crystal display devices 400C, 400D and 400E, respectively, of Embodiment 2 having different relationships between an opening and a protrusion.

[0079]FIG. 27 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating the liquid crystal display device 400B taken along line 27A-27A′ of FIG. 23A.

[0080]FIG. 28A and FIG. 28B schematically illustrate a picture element region of a liquid crystal display device 400F according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention, wherein FIG. 28A is a plan view, and FIG. 28B is a cross-sectional view taken along line 28A-28A′ of FIG. 28A.

[0081]FIG. 29A to FIG. 29E each schematically illustrate a counter substrate 200 b including a second orientation-regulating structure 28.

[0082]FIG. 30A and FIG. 30B schematically illustrate a liquid crystal display device 400G including a first orientation-regulating structure and a second orientation-regulating structure, wherein FIG. 30A is a plan view, and FIG. 30B is a cross-sectional view taken along line 30B-30B′ of FIG. 30A.

[0083]FIG. 31A to FIG. 31C are cross-sectional views schematically illustrating a picture element region of the liquid crystal display device 400G, wherein FIG. 31A illustrates a state in the absence of an applied voltage, FIG. 31B illustrates a state where an orientation has just started to change (initial ON state), and FIG. 31C illustrates a steady state.

[0084]FIG. 32A and FIG. 32B schematically illustrate another liquid crystal display device 400H including a first orientation-regulating structure and a second orientation-regulating structure, wherein FIG. 32A is a plan view, and FIG. 32B is a cross-sectional view taken along line 32B-32B′ of FIG. 32A.

[0085]FIG. 33A to FIG. 33C are cross-sectional views schematically illustrating a picture element region of the liquid crystal display device 400H, wherein FIG. 33A illustrates a state in the absence of an applied voltage, FIG. 33B illustrates a state where an orientation has just started to change (initial ON state), and FIG. 33C illustrates a steady state.

[0086]FIG. 34A to FIG. 34C are cross-sectional views schematically illustrating a picture element region of a liquid crystal display device 500 according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0087]FIG. 35 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating a picture element region of a liquid crystal display device 600 according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0088] Each of FIG. 36A and FIG. 36B is an enlarged cross-sectional view schematically illustrating a structure around a picture element electrode in a liquid crystal display device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0089]FIG. 37A is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating a picture element region of a liquid crystal display device 700 according to one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 37B is a plan view thereof.

[0090]FIG. 38A is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating a picture element region of a two-way liquid crystal display device 150 according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0091]FIG. 38B is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating a picture element region of a two-way liquid crystal display device 550 according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0092]FIG. 38C is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating a picture element region of a two-way liquid crystal display device 650 according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0093]FIG. 39A and FIG. 39B schematically illustrate a structure around an opening in a two-way liquid crystal display device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0094]FIG. 40A and FIG. 40B schematically illustrate a structure around an opening in a two-way liquid crystal display device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0095]FIG. 41A and FIG. 41B illustrate an orientation of liquid crystal molecules and an arrangement of polarizing plates in a liquid crystal display device according to one embodiment of the present invention (in the absence of an applied voltage).

[0096]FIG. 42A and FIG. 42B illustrate an orientation of liquid crystal molecules and an arrangement of polarizing plates in a liquid crystal display device according to one embodiment of the present invention (in the presence of an applied voltage).

[0097]FIG. 43A and FIG. 43B illustrate an orientation of liquid crystal molecules and an arrangement of polarizing plates and λ/4 plates in a liquid crystal display device according to one embodiment of the present invention (in the absence of an applied voltage).

[0098]FIG. 44A and FIG. 44B illustrate an orientation of liquid crystal molecules and an arrangement of polarizing plates and λ/4 plates in a liquid crystal display device according to one embodiment of the present invention (in the presence of an applied voltage).

[0099]FIG. 45A and FIG. 45B illustrate an orientation of liquid crystal molecules and another arrangement of polarizing plates and λ/4 plates in a liquid crystal display device according to one embodiment of the present invention (in the absence of an applied voltage).

[0100]FIG. 46A to FIG. 46C illustrate an orientation of liquid crystal molecules and an arrangement of polarizing plates, λ/4 plates and λ/2 plates in a liquid crystal display device according to one embodiment of the present invention (in the absence of an applied voltage).

[0101]FIG. 47A to FIG. 47C illustrate an orientation of liquid crystal molecules and another arrangement of polarizing plates, λ/4 plates and λ/2 plates in a liquid crystal display device according to one embodiment of the present invention (in the absence of an applied voltage).

[0102]FIG. 48 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating a transmission type liquid crystal display device 800 according to Example 1 of the present invention.

[0103]FIG. 49 is a plan view schematically illustrating the transmission type liquid crystal display device 800 according to Example 1 of the present invention

[0104]FIG. 50A to FIG. 50E are cross-sectional views schematically illustrating a sequence of production steps of the liquid crystal display device 800.

[0105]FIG. 50F to FIG. 50K are cross-sectional views schematically illustrating another sequence of production steps of the liquid crystal display device 800.

[0106]FIG. 51 schematically illustrates the appearance of picture element regions in the presence of an applied voltage across a liquid crystal layer of the liquid crystal display device 800.

[0107]FIG. 52 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating the transmission type liquid crystal display device 900 according to Example 2 of the present invention.

[0108]FIG. 53 is a plan view schematically illustrating a transmission type liquid crystal display device 900 according to Example 2 of the present invention.

[0109]FIG. 54 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating a two-way liquid crystal display device 1000 according to Example 3 of the present invention.

[0110]FIG. 55 is a plan view schematically illustrating the two-way liquid crystal display device 1000 according to Example 3 of the present invention.

[0111] Each of FIG. 56A and FIG. 56B is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating a production step of the liquid crystal display device 1000.

[0112]FIG. 57 schematically illustrates a display operation when a voltage is applied across a liquid crystal layer in a reflection region of the liquid crystal display device 1000.

[0113]FIG. 58 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating a two-way liquid crystal display device 1100 according to Example 4 of the present invention.

[0114]FIG. 59A schematically illustrates an edge portion of an opening 103 a of a photosensitive resin layer 103 in the liquid crystal display device 1000, and FIG. 59B schematically illustrates an edge portion of a depressed portion 103 b of the photosensitive resin layer 103 in the liquid crystal display device 1100.

[0115]FIG. 60 is a plan view schematically illustrating a portion of an upper conductive layer 104 of the liquid crystal display device 900 according to Example 2 of the present invention.

[0116]FIG. 61 schematically illustrates an arrangement of openings provided in the vicinity of a side of the upper conductive layer 104 of a liquid crystal display device according to Example 5 of the present invention.

[0117]FIG. 62 schematically illustrates an arrangement of openings provided in the vicinity of a corner of the upper conductive layer 104 of the liquid crystal display device according to Example 5 of the present invention.

[0118]FIG. 63 schematically illustrates an arrangement of openings provided in the vicinity of a cut-out portion of the upper conductive layer 104 of the liquid crystal display device according to Example 5 of the present invention.

[0119]FIG. 64 schematically illustrates an arrangement of openings in the upper conductive layer 104 of a liquid crystal display device according to Example 6 of the present invention.

[0120]FIG. 65 schematically illustrates another arrangement of openings in the upper conductive layer 104 of the liquid crystal display device according to Example 6 of the present invention.

[0121]FIG. 66 is a plan view schematically illustrating a liquid crystal display device 1200 according to Example 7 of the present invention.

[0122]FIG. 67 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating the liquid crystal display device 1200 according to Example 7 of the present invention.

[0123]FIG. 68 is a plan view schematically illustrating a picture element region of a liquid crystal display device 1500 according to Example 8 of the present invention.

[0124]FIG. 69 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating a picture element region of the liquid crystal display device 1500 of Example 8.

[0125]FIG. 70 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating a picture element region of a liquid crystal display device 1500′ of Example 8.

[0126]FIG. 71 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating a picture element region of a liquid crystal display device 1500″ of Example 8.

[0127]FIG. 72A to FIG. 72E are cross-sectional views illustrating a production process of a TFT substrate 1500 a of the liquid crystal display device 1500 of Example 8.

[0128]FIG. 73A to FIG. 73E are cross-sectional views illustrating a production process of a TFT substrate 1500 a′ of the liquid crystal display device 1500′ of Example 8.

[0129]FIG. 74A to FIG. 74E are cross-sectional views illustrating a production process of a TFT substrate 1500 a″ of the liquid crystal display device 1500″ of Example 8.

[0130]FIG. 75 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating a picture element region of a liquid crystal display device 1600 of Example 9.

[0131]FIG. 76A to FIG. 76E are cross-sectional views illustrating a production process of a TFT substrate 1600 a of the liquid crystal display device 1600 of Example 9.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0132] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the same reference numerals denote the same components throughout the following embodiments.

EMBODIMENT 1

[0133] First, the electrode structure of the liquid crystal display device of the present invention and the function thereof will be described. The liquid crystal display device of the present invention has desirable display characteristics and is therefore suitably used as an active matrix type liquid crystal display device. While the preferred embodiments of the present invention will be hereinafter described with respect to an active matrix type liquid crystal display device using thin film transistors (TFTs), the present invention can alternatively be used with an active matrix type liquid crystal display device using an MIM (metal-insulator-metal) structure, or a passive matrix type liquid crystal display device. Moreover, while the preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with respect to a transmission type liquid crystal display device, the present invention can alternatively be used with a reflection type liquid crystal display device or even with a transmission-reflection type liquid crystal display device which will be described below.

[0134] In the present specification, a region of a liquid crystal display device corresponding to a “picture element”, which is the minimum unit of display, will be referred to as a “picture element region”. In a color liquid crystal display device, R, G and B “picture elements” correspond to one “pixel”. In an active matrix type liquid crystal display device, a picture element region is defined by a picture element electrode and a counter electrode which opposes the picture element electrode. In a passive matrix type liquid crystal display device, a picture element region is defined as a region where one of column electrodes which are arranged in a stripe pattern crosses one of row electrodes which are also arranged in a stripe pattern perpendicular to the column electrodes In an arrangement with a black matrix, strictly speaking, a picture element region is a portion of each region across which a voltage is applied according to the intended display state which corresponds to an opening of the black matrix.

[0135] Each of FIG. 1A to FIG. 1C schematically illustrates a cross section of one picture element region of a liquid crystal display device 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention. In the following description, a color filter and a black matrix are omitted for the sake of simplicity. Moreover, in subsequent figures, each element having substantially the same function as the corresponding element in the liquid crystal display device 100 will be denoted by the same reference numeral and will not be further described below. While FIG. 1A to FIG. 1C show one picture element region of the liquid crystal display device 100 for the sake of simplicity, the liquid crystal display device of the present invention may include at least one such electrode structure as illustrated in FIG. 1A to FIG. 1C in each picture element region, as will be more fully described later.

[0136] The liquid crystal display device 100 includes an active matrix substrate (hereinafter, referred to as a “TFT substrate”) 100 a, a counter substrate (referred to also as a “color filter substrate”) 100 b, and a liquid crystal layer 30 provided between the TFT substrate 100 a and the counter substrate 100 b. Liquid crystal molecules 30 a of the liquid crystal layer 30 have a negative dielectric anisotropy, and are aligned vertical to the surface of the vertical alignment film, as illustrated in FIG. 1A, in the absence of an applied voltage across the liquid crystal layer 30 by virtue of a vertical alignment layer (not shown) which is provided on one surface of each of the TFT substrate 100 a and the counter substrate 100 b which is closer to the liquid crystal layer 30. This state is described as the liquid crystal layer 30 being in a vertical alignment. Note, however, that the liquid crystal molecules 30 a of the liquid crystal layer 30 in a vertical alignment may slightly incline from the normal to the surface of the vertical alignment film (the surface of the substrate) depending upon the type of vertical alignment film or the type of liquid crystal material used. Generally, a vertical alignment is defined as a state where the axis of the liquid crystal molecules (referred to also as the “axial orientation”) is oriented at an angle of about 85° or more with respect to the surface of the vertical alignment film.

[0137] The TFT substrate 100 a of the liquid crystal display device 100 includes a transparent substrate (e.g., a glass substrate) 11 and a picture element electrode 15 provided on the surface of the transparent substrate 11. The counter substrate 100 b includes a transparent substrate (e.g., a glass substrate) 21 and a counter electrode 22 provided on the surface of the transparent substrate 21. The orientation of the liquid crystal layer 30 changes for each picture element region according to the voltage applied between the picture element electrode 15 and the counter electrode 22 which are arranged so as to oppose each other via the liquid crystal layer 30. A display is produced by utilizing a phenomenon that the polarization or amount of light passing through the liquid crystal layer 30 changes along with the change in the orientation of the liquid crystal layer 30.

[0138] The picture element electrode 15 of the liquid crystal display device 100 includes a lower conductive layer 12, a dielectric layer 13 covering at least a portion of the lower conductive layer 12, and an upper conductive layer 14 provided on one side of the dielectric layer 13 which is closer to the liquid crystal layer 30. In the liquid crystal display device 100 illustrated in FIG. 1A to FIG. 1C, the lower conductive layer 12 is provided so as to entirely cover the region of the substrate 11 opposing an opening 14 a (area of the lower conductive layer 12>area of the opening 14 a).

[0139] The structure of the picture element electrode 15 of the liquid crystal display device of the present embodiment is not limited to the illustrated example. Alternatively, the lower conductive layer 12 may be provided so as to cover only the region of the substrate 11 opposing the opening 14 a (area of the lower conductive layer 12=area of the opening 14 a), as in a liquid crystal display device 100′ illustrated in FIG. 2A. Alternatively, the lower conductive layer 12 may be provided so as to cover a smaller region within the region of the substrate 11 opposing the opening 14 a (area of the lower conductive layer 12<area of the opening 14 a), as in a liquid crystal display device 100″ illustrated in FIG. 2B. Thus, the structure of the lower conductive layer 12 is not limited to any particular structure as long as the lower conductive layer 12 opposes at least a portion of the opening 14 a via the dielectric layer 13. However, when the lower conductive layer 12 is provided so as to cover a smaller region within the region of the substrate 11 opposing the opening 14 a (FIG. 2B), there is a region (gap region) in the plane of the substrate 11 in which neither the lower conductive layer 12 nor the upper conductive layer 14 is present as viewed in the normal direction (or “substrate normal direction”, i.e., the direction normal to the substrate plane). A sufficient voltage may not be applied across the liquid crystal layer 30 in the region opposing the gap region. In order to stabilize the orientation of the liquid crystal layer 30, it is preferred that the width of the gap region (WS in FIG. 2B) is sufficiently reduced. Typically, it is preferred that WS does not exceed about 4 μm.

[0140] The picture element electrode 15 including the lower conductive layer 12 and the upper conductive layer 14 is referred to also as a “two-layer electrode”. The terms “lower layer” and “upper layer” are used herein merely to describe the structure of the two electrode, the lower conductive layer 12 and the upper conductive layer 14, with respect to the dielectric layer 13, and the terms are not to limit the placement of the liquid crystal display device in use. Moreover, the term “two-layer electrode” is not to exclude a structure having any electrode(s) other than the lower conductive layer 12 and the upper conductive layer 14, and the term refers to any electrode structure as long as it includes at least the lower conductive layer 12 and the upper conductive layer 14 and has the function which will be described below. Moreover, the two-layer electrode does not have to be a picture element electrode in a TFT type liquid crystal display device, and may alternatively be used with any other type of liquid crystal display device as long as it includes a two-layer electrode for each picture element region. More specifically, if, for example, a column electrode (signal electrode) in a passive matrix type liquid crystal display device has a two-layer structure for each picture element region, the column electrode in each picture element region will function as the two-layer electrode as used herein.

[0141] Next, referring to FIG. 1A to FIG. 1C, FIG. 3A to FIG. 3C and FIG. 4A to FIG. 4C, the operation of the liquid crystal display device including the two-layer electrode will be described in comparison with the operation of a liquid crystal display device having a different electrode structure.

[0142] First, the operation of the liquid crystal display device 100 will be described with reference to FIG. 1A to FIG. 1C.

[0143]FIG. 1A schematically illustrates an orientation of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a in the liquid crystal layer 30 in the absence of an applied voltage (OFF state). FIG. 1B schematically illustrates a state where the orientation of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a has just started to change (initial ON state) according to the voltage applied across the liquid crystal layer 30. FIG. 1C schematically illustrates a state where the orientation of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a which has changed and become steady according to the applied voltage. FIG. 1A to FIG. 1C illustrate an example where the same voltage is applied across the lower conductive layer 12 and the upper conductive layer 14 of the picture element electrode 15 for the sake of simplicity. Curves EQ in FIG. 1B and FIG. 1C denote equipotential lines.

[0144] As illustrated in FIG. 1A, when the picture element electrode 15 and the counter electrode 22 are at the same potential (a state where no voltage is applied across the liquid crystal layer 30), the liquid crystal molecules 30 a in each picture element region are aligned vertical to the surfaces of the substrates 11 and 21.

[0145] When a voltage is applied across the liquid crystal layer 30, a potential gradient represented by the equipotential lines EQ shown in FIG. 1B (perpendicular to the electric force line) is produced. A uniform potential gradient represented by equipotential lines EQ parallel to the surfaces of the upper conductive layer 14 and the counter electrode 22 is produced in the liquid crystal layer 30 in a region between the upper conductive layer 14 of the picture element electrode 15 and the counter electrode 22. A potential gradient according to the potential difference between the lower conductive layer 12 and the counter electrode 22 is produced in a region of the liquid crystal layer 30 located above the opening 14 a of the upper conductive layer 14. The potential gradient produced in the liquid crystal layer 30 is influenced by a voltage drop (capacitance division) due to the dielectric layer 13, whereby the equipotential lines EQ in the liquid crystal layer 30 drop in a region corresponding to the opening 14 a (creating a “trough” in the equipotential lines EQ). A portion of an equipotential line EQ being drawn into the dielectric layer 13 in a region corresponding to the opening 14 a indicates that a voltage drop (capacitance division) has occurred due to the dielectric layer 13. Since the lower conductive layer 12 is provided in a region opposing the opening 14 a via the dielectric layer 13, the liquid crystal layer 30 around the central portion of the opening 14 a also has a potential gradient which is represented by a portion of the equipotential lines EQ parallel to the plane of the upper conductive layer 14 and the counter electrode 22 (“the bottom of the trough” of the equipotential lines EQ). An inclined electric field represented by an inclined portion of the equipotential lines EQ is produced in the liquid crystal layer 30 above an edge portion EG of the opening 14 a (the peripheral portion of and within the opening 14 a including the boundary thereof).

[0146] A torque acts upon the liquid crystal molecules 30 a having a negative dielectric anisotropy so as to direct the axial orientation of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a to be parallel to the equipotential lines EQ (perpendicular to the electric force line). Therefore, the liquid crystal molecules 30 a above the right edge portion EG in FIG. 1B incline (rotate) clockwise and the liquid crystal molecules 30 a above the left edge portion EG incline (rotate) counterclockwise as indicated by arrows in FIG. 1B. As a result, the liquid crystal molecules 30 a above the edge portions EG are oriented parallel to the corresponding portions of the equipotential lines EQ.

[0147] Referring to FIG. 5A to FIG. 5D, the change in the orientation of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a will now be described in greater detail.

[0148] When an electric field is produced in the liquid crystal layer 30, a torque acts upon the liquid crystal molecules 30 a having a negative dielectric anisotropy so as to direct the axial orientation thereof to be parallel to an equipotential line EQ. As illustrated in FIG. 5A, when an electric field represented by an equipotential line EQ perpendicular to the axial orientation of the liquid crystal molecule 30 a is produced, either a torque urging the liquid crystal molecule 30 a to incline clockwise or a torque urging the liquid crystal molecule 30 a to incline counterclockwise occurs with the same probability. Therefore, as will be described later with reference to FIG. 3A to FIG. 3C, the liquid crystal layer 30 between the pair of parallel plate-shape electrodes opposing each other has some liquid crystal molecules 30 a which are subject to a clockwise torque and some other liquid crystal molecules 30 a which are subject to a counterclockwise torque. As a result, the transition to the intended orientation according to the voltage applied across the liquid crystal layer 30 may not proceed smoothly.

[0149] When an electric field represented by a portion of the equipotential lines EQ inclined with respect to the axial orientation of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a (an inclined electric field) is produced at the edge portion EG of the opening 14 a of the liquid crystal display device 100 of the present invention, as illustrated in FIG. 1B, the liquid crystal molecules 30 a incline in whichever direction (the counterclockwise direction in the illustrated example) that requires less rotation for the liquid crystal molecules 30 a to be parallel to the equipotential line EQ, as illustrated in FIG. 5B. The liquid crystal molecules 30 a in a region where an electric field represented by an equipotential line EQ perpendicular to the axial orientation of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a is produced incline in the same direction as the liquid crystal molecules 30 a located on the inclined portion of the equipotential lines EQ so that the orientation thereof is continuous (in conformity) with the orientation of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a located on the inclined portion of the equipotential lines EQ as illustrated in FIG. 5C. The phrase “being located on an equipotential line EQ” as used herein means “being located within an electric field which is represented by the equipotential line EQ”.

[0150] The change in the orientation of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a, starting from those which are located on the inclined portion of the equipotential lines EQ, proceeds as described above and reaches a steady state, which is schematically illustrated in FIG. 1C. The liquid crystal molecules 30 a located around the central portion of the opening 14 a are influenced substantially equally by the respective orientations of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a at the opposing edge portions EG of the opening 14 a, and therefore retain their orientation perpendicular to the equipotential lines EQ. The liquid crystal molecules 30 a away from the center of the opening 14 a incline by the influence of the orientation of other liquid crystal molecules 30 a at the closer edge portion EG, thereby forming an inclined orientation which is symmetric about the center SA of the opening 14 a. The orientation as viewed in a direction perpendicular to the display plane of the liquid crystal display device 100 (a direction perpendicular to the surfaces of the substrates 11 and 21) is a state where the liquid crystal molecules 30 a have a radial axial orientation (not shown) about the center of the opening 14 a. In the present specification, such an orientation will be referred to as a “radially-inclined orientation”.

[0151] In order to improve the viewing angle dependence in all azimuthal angles, the orientation of the liquid crystal molecules in each picture element region preferably has rotational symmetry about an axis perpendicular to the display plane, and more preferably axial symmetry. Therefore, the opening 14 a is preferably arranged so that the orientation of the liquid crystal layer 30 in each picture element region has rotational symmetry (or axial symmetry). When one opening 14 a is provided for each picture element region, the opening 14 a is preferably provided at the center of the picture element region. Moreover, the shape of the opening 14 a (the shape in the layer plane of the liquid crystal layer 30) preferably has rotational symmetry (axial symmetry). Preferably, the shape of the opening 14 a is a regular polygon such as a square, or a circle. A structure where a plurality of openings 14 a are provided for each picture element region will be described later.

[0152] As described above with reference to FIG. 1A to FIG. 1C, the liquid crystal display device 100 of the present invention includes the two-layer electrode 15 for each picture element region, and an electric field represented by equipotential lines EQ having an inclined region is produced in the liquid crystal layer 30 in the picture element region. The liquid crystal molecules 30 a having a negative dielectric anisotropy in the liquid crystal layer 30, which are in a vertical alignment in the absence of an applied voltage, change their orientation, starting from the change in the orientation of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a located on the inclined portion of the equipotential lines EQ (the change in the orientation of those liquid crystal molecules 30 a serves as a trigger), and eventually form a stable radially-inclined orientation. Of course, the liquid crystal display device 100′ and the liquid crystal display device 100″, as illustrated in FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B, respectively, operate in a similar manner. If, however, the gap region WS in the structure of FIG. 2B is excessively large (e.g., greater than about 4 μm), a sufficient voltage may not be applied to the edge portion of the opening 14 a, whereby the region does not contribute to the display.

[0153] Next, the operation of a typical conventional liquid crystal display device 200 will be described with reference to FIG. 3A to FIG. 3C, which schematically illustrate one picture element region of the liquid crystal display device 200.

[0154] The liquid crystal display device 200 includes a picture element electrode 15A and a counter electrode 22 which are arranged so as to oppose each other. The picture element electrode 15A and the counter electrode 22 are each made of a single conductive layer which does not have the opening 14 a.

[0155] As illustrated in FIG. 3A, the liquid crystal layer 30 takes a vertical alignment in the absence of an applied voltage across the liquid crystal layer 30.

[0156] The electric field produced by application of a voltage across the liquid crystal layer 30 is represented by equipotential lines EQ which are parallel to the surfaces of the picture element electrode 15A and the counter electrode 22 across the entire picture element region, as illustrated in FIG. 3B. The liquid crystal molecules 30 a are urged to change their orientation direction so that the axial orientation thereof is parallel to the equipotential lines EQ. However, under the electric field in which the equipotential lines EQ are perpendicular to the axial orientation of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a, the direction in which the liquid crystal molecules 30 a are to incline (rotate) is not uniquely defined, as illustrated in FIG. 5A. In such a case, the liquid crystal molecules 30 a would typically start inclining in various directions, being influenced by the local surface configurations of the vertical alignment film. As a result, the liquid crystal molecules 30 a have different orientations in different picture element regions, whereby the liquid crystal display device 200 produces a non-uniform display. Moreover, as compared to the above-described liquid crystal display device 100 of the present invention, it requires a longer time for the orientation of the liquid crystal layer 30 to reach a steady state as illustrated in FIG. 3C.

[0157] Thus, the liquid crystal display device 100 of the present invention is capable of producing a high-quality display without non-uniformity and has a higher response speed as compared to the conventional liquid crystal display device 200.

[0158] Next, the operation of a liquid crystal display device 300 having an opening 15 b in a picture element electrode 15B will be described with reference to FIG. 4A to FIG. 4C. The picture element electrode 15B is different from the picture element electrode 15 of the liquid crystal display device of the present invention in that the former is made of a single electrode having the opening 15 b and does not have the lower conductive layer 12 (see, for example, FIG. 1A to FIG. 1C). The liquid crystal display device 300 produces an inclined electric field in the liquid crystal layer 30 as does the liquid crystal display device having the opening 14 a in the counter electrode which is disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 6-301036 mentioned above.

[0159] The liquid crystal layer 30 of the liquid crystal display device 300 takes a vertical alignment in the absence of an applied voltage, as illustrated in FIG. 4A. The orientation of the liquid crystal layer 30 in the absence of an applied voltage is the same as that of the liquid crystal display device of the present invention (FIG. 1A to FIG. 1C and FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B) or that of the typical conventional liquid crystal display device (FIG. 3A to FIG. 3C).

[0160] When a voltage is applied across the liquid crystal layer 30, an electric field represented by equipotential lines EQ shown in FIG. 4B is produced therein. Since the picture element electrode 15B includes the opening 15 b as does the picture element electrode 15 of the liquid crystal display device 100 of the present embodiment (see, for example, FIG. 1A to FIG. 1C), the equipotential lines EQ produced in the liquid crystal layer 30 of the liquid crystal display device 300 drop in a region corresponding to the opening 15 b, thereby producing an inclined electric field represented by the inclined portion of the equipotential lines EQ in the liquid crystal layer 30 above the edge portion EG of the opening 15 b. However, since the picture element electrode 15B is made of a single conductive layer and does not have a lower conductive layer (at the same potential as that of the picture element electrode) in the region corresponding to the opening 15 b, there is a region in which no electric field is produced in the liquid crystal layer above the opening 15 b (a region in which no equipotential line EQ is drawn).

[0161] The liquid crystal molecules 30 a having a negative dielectric anisotropy which is placed under such an electric field behave as follows. First, the liquid crystal molecules 30 a above the right edge portion EG of the opening 15 b incline (rotate) clockwise and those above the left edge portion EG incline (rotate) counterclockwise, as indicated by an arrow in FIG. 4B, until they reach their respective orientations parallel to the equipotential lines EQ. This is the same behavior as that of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a in the liquid crystal display device 100 of the present embodiment described above with reference to FIG. 1B, and the inclination (rotation) direction of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a in the vicinity of the edge portion EG is uniquely defined, whereby realizing a stable orientation change.

[0162] However, since no electric field is produced in the liquid crystal layer 30 in the region above the opening 15 b excluding the edge portion EG, there is no torque urging the orientation thereof to change. As a result, after a sufficient amount of time has elapsed and the orientation change of the liquid crystal layer 30 has reached a steady state, the liquid crystal layer 30 in the region above the opening 15 b excluding the edge portion EG remains in a vertical alignment as illustrated in FIG. 4C. Of course, some of those liquid crystal molecules 30 a change their orientation by the influence of the orientation change of other liquid crystal molecules 30 a in the vicinity of the edge portion EG. Still, such an influence cannot change the orientation of all the liquid crystal molecules 30 a in the liquid crystal layer 30 above the opening 15 b. While the distance from the edge of the opening 15 b such an influence can be effective on the liquid crystal molecules 30 a depends upon the thickness of the liquid crystal layer 30 and the physical properties of the liquid crystal material (e.g., the magnitude of the dielectric anisotropy, and the modulus of elasticity), the liquid crystal molecules 30 a around the central portion of the opening 15 b do not change their orientation by an electric field but remain in a vertical alignment when the distance between two regions where the conductive layer actually exists (referred to also as “solid portions”) which lie adjacent to each other via the opening 15 b is greater than about 4 μm. Thus, the region in the liquid crystal layer 30 of the liquid crystal display device 300 located above the opening 15 b does not contribute to the display, thereby deteriorating the display quality. In a normally black display mode, for example, the effective aperture ratio decreases, thereby decreasing the display brightness.

[0163] As described above, in the liquid crystal display device 300, the direction in which the orientation of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a changes is uniquely defined by the inclined electric field produced in the picture element electrode 15B having the opening 15 b, whereby it is possible to prevent the display non-uniformity which occurs in the typical conventional liquid crystal display device 200. However, in the liquid crystal display device 300, the brightness is low. In contrast, since the liquid crystal display device 100 of the present embodiment includes the upper conductive layer 14 having the opening 14 a and the lower conductive layer 12 provided so as to oppose the opening 14 a, the electric field can act upon substantially the entire region of the liquid crystal layer 30 located above the opening 14 a, whereby the region can contribute to the display. Therefore, the liquid crystal display device 100 of the present embodiment is capable of realizing a high-quality display with a high brightness and without non-uniformity.

[0164] The shape of the opening 14 a (as viewed in the substrate normal direction) of the upper conductive layer 14 of the two-layer electrode (picture element electrode) 15 provided in the liquid crystal display device of the present embodiment will be described. The shape of the opening 14 a may be a polygon, a circle, or an ellipse.

[0165] The display characteristics of a liquid crystal display device exhibit an azimuthal angle dependence due to the orientation (optical anisotropy) of the liquid crystal molecules. In order to reduce the azimuthal angle dependence of the display characteristics, it is preferred that the liquid crystal molecules are oriented in all azimuthal angles with substantially the same probability. More preferably, the liquid crystal molecules in each picture element region are oriented in all azimuthal angles with substantially the same probability. Therefore, the opening 14 a preferably has a shape such that the liquid crystal molecules in each picture element region are oriented in all azimuthal angles with substantially the same probability. More specifically, the shape of the opening 14 a preferably has rotational symmetry about a symmetry axis extending through the center of each picture element region in the normal direction. More preferably, the shape of the opening 14 a has a high-order rotation axis, e.g., at least a two-fold rotation axis.

[0166] The orientation of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a when the opening 14 a has a polygonal shape will be described with reference to FIG. 6A to FIG. 6C. Each of FIG. 6A to FIG. 6C schematically illustrates the orientation of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a as viewed in the substrate normal direction. In figures, such as FIG. 6B and FIG. 6C, illustrating the orientation of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a as viewed in the substrate normal direction, a black-spotted end of the liquid crystal molecule 30 a drawn as an ellipse indicates that the liquid crystal molecule 30 a is inclined so that the end is closer than the other end to the substrate on which the two-layer electrode having the opening 14 a is provided. This similarly applies to all of the subsequent figures.

[0167] An exemplary structure where the opening 14 a having a rectangular shape (including a square and an oblong rectangle) is provided so as to conform with a rectangular picture element region will be described below. Cross-sectional views taken along line 1A-1A′ of FIG. 6A, line 1B-1B′ of FIG. 6B and line 1C-1C′ of FIG. 6C correspond to FIG. 1A to FIG. 1C, respectively, and FIG. 1A to FIG. 1C will also be referred to in the following description. Of course, the shape of the picture element region (picture element electrode 15) is not limited to the illustrated example.

[0168] When the picture element electrode 15, including the lower conductive layer 12 and the upper conductive layer 14, and the counter electrode 22 are at the same potential, i.e., in a state where no voltage is applied across the liquid crystal layer 30, the liquid crystal molecules 30 a whose orientation direction is regulated by the vertical alignment layer (not shown) which is provided on one side of each of the TFT substrate 100 a and the counter substrate 100 b which is closer to the liquid crystal layer 30 take a vertical alignment as illustrated in FIG. 6A.

[0169] When an electric field is applied across the liquid crystal layer 30, thereby producing an electric field represented by equipotential lines EQ shown in FIG. 1A, a torque is produced urging the axial orientation of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a having a negative dielectric anisotropy to be parallel to the equipotential lines EQ. As described above with reference to FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B, for the liquid crystal molecules 30 a under an electric field represented by equipotential lines EQ perpendicular to the molecular axis of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a, the direction in which the liquid crystal molecules 30 a are to incline (rotate) is not uniquely defined (FIG. 5A), whereby the change in the orientation (inclination or rotation) does not easily occur. In contrast, for the liquid crystal molecules 30 a under equipotential lines EQ inclined with respect to the molecular axis of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a, the direction of inclination (rotation) is uniquely defined, whereby the change in the orientation easily occurs. In the structure illustrated in FIG. 6A to FIG. 6C, the liquid crystal molecules 30 a incline, starting from those along the four edge portions of the rectangular opening 14 a of the upper conductive layer 14 where the molecular axis of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a is inclined with respect to the equipotential lines EQ. Then, the surrounding liquid crystal molecules 30 a incline so as to conform with the orientation of the already-inclined liquid crystal molecules 30 a at the edge portion of the opening 14 a, as described above with reference to FIG. 5C. Then, the axial orientation of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a becomes stable as illustrated in FIG. 6C (radially-inclined orientation).

[0170] As described above, when the opening 14 a of the upper conductive layer 14 is in the form of a rectangle, not a slit (a shape whose width is significantly smaller than its length (perpendicular to the width)), the liquid crystal molecules 30 a in the picture element region successively incline, starting from the four edge portions of the opening 14 a toward the center of the opening 14 a upon application of a voltage. As a result, there is obtained an orientation in which the liquid crystal molecules 30 a around the center of the opening 14 a, where the respective orientation-regulating forces from the liquid crystal molecules 30 a at the edge portions are in equilibrium, remain in a vertical alignment with respect to the substrate plane, while the surrounding liquid crystal molecules 30 a are inclined in a radial pattern about those liquid crystal molecules 30 a around the center of the opening 14 a, with the degree of inclination gradually increasing away from the center of the opening 14 a. If the liquid crystal molecules 30 a in each picture element region take a radially-inclined orientation as described above, the liquid crystal molecules 30 a of various axial orientations are present with substantially the same probability for all viewing angles (including azimuthal angles), whereby it is possible to realize a high-quality display without non-uniformity for all viewing angles.

[0171] Moreover, when the shape of the opening 14 a is a square, which has a high degree of rotational symmetry (with a four-fold rotation axis), the degree of symmetry of the radially-inclined orientation of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a about the symmetry axis at the center of the opening 14 a is higher than that when the shape of the opening 14 a is a rectangle, which has a low degree of rotational symmetry (with a two-fold rotation axis), whereby it is possible to realize a desirable display with even less non-uniformity for changes in the viewing angle. While a rectangle has been used as an example of the shape of the opening 14 a in the above description, the shape of the opening 14 a may be any other polygon, preferably a regular polygon with a high degree of rotational symmetry, as long as the liquid crystal molecules 30 a inside the boundary of the opening 14 a take a stable radially-inclined orientation in the presence of an applied voltage.

[0172] For the radially-inclined orientation of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a, a radially-inclined orientation having a counterclockwise or clockwise spiral pattern as illustrated in FIG. 8B or FIG. 8C, respectively, is more stable than the simple radially-inclined orientation as illustrated in FIG. 8A. The spiral orientation as used herein refers to an orientation of the liquid crystal molecules in the plane of the liquid crystal layer (in the substrate plane). In a spiral orientation observed when a small amount of chiral agent is added to a liquid crystal material, the orientation direction of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a does not substantially change in a herical pattern along the thickness of the liquid crystal layer 30 as in a normal twist orientation. In the spiral orientation, the orientation direction of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a does not substantially change along the thickness of the liquid crystal layer 30 for a minute region. In other words, the orientation in a cross section (in a plane parallel to the layer plane) at any thickness of the liquid crystal layer 30 is as illustrated in FIG. 8B or FIG. 8C, with substantially no twist deformation along the thickness of the liquid crystal layer 30. For the opening 14 a as a whole, however, there may be a certain degree of twist deformation.

[0173] When a material obtained by adding a chiral agent to a nematic liquid crystal material having a negative dielectric anisotropy is used, the liquid crystal molecules 30 a take a radially-inclined orientation of a counterclockwise or clockwise spiral pattern about the opening 14 a, as illustrated in FIG. 7A or FIG. 7B, respectively, in the presence of an applied voltage. Whether the spiral pattern is counterclockwise or clockwise is determined by the type of chiral agent used. Thus, by controlling the liquid crystal layer 30 in the opening 14 a into a radially-inclined orientation of a spiral pattern in the presence of an applied voltage, the direction of the spiral pattern of the radially-inclined liquid crystal molecules 30 a about other liquid crystal molecules 30 a standing vertical to the substrate plane can be constant in all openings 14 a, whereby it is possible to realize a uniform display without non-uniformity. Since the direction of the spiral pattern around the liquid crystal molecules 30 a standing vertical to the substrate plane is definite, the response speed upon application of a voltage across the liquid crystal layer 30 is also improved.

[0174] Moreover, when a larger amount of chiral agent is added, the orientation of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a changes in a herical pattern along the thickness of the liquid crystal layer 30, even in the liquid crystal layer of a spiral orientation with respect to a minute region thereof, as in a normal twist orientation.

[0175] In an orientation where the orientation of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a does not change in a herical pattern along the thickness of the liquid crystal layer 30, the liquid crystal molecules 30 a which are oriented perpendicular or parallel to the polarization axis of the polarizing plate do not give a phase difference to the incident light, whereby incident light passing through a region of such an orientation does not contribute to the transmittance. For example, when a picture element region producing a white display is observed in the liquid crystal display device where the polarizing plates are arranged in a crossed-Nicols state, a cross-shaped extinction pattern is clearly observed in the central portion of a liquid crystal domain being in a radially-inclined orientation.

[0176] In contrast, in an orientation where the orientation of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a changes in a herical pattern along the thickness of the liquid crystal layer 30, the liquid crystal molecules 30 a which are oriented perpendicular or parallel to the polarization axis of the polarizing plate also give a phase difference to the incident light, and the optical rotatory power can also be utilized, whereby incident light passing through a region of such an orientation also contributes to the transmittance. Thus, it is possible to obtain a liquid crystal display device capable of producing a bright display. For example, when a picture element region producing a white display is observed in the liquid crystal display device where the polarizing plates are arranged in a crossed-Nicols state, the cross-shaped extinction pattern in the central portion of a liquid crystal domain being in a radially-inclined orientation is unclear, thereby making the display as a whole brighter. The twist angle of the liquid crystal layer is preferably about 90° so as to efficiently improve the light efficiency due to the optical rotatory power.

[0177] The shape of the opening 14 a is not limited to a polygon as described above, but may alternatively be a circle or an ellipse. The orientation of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a when the shape of the opening 14 a is a circle will be described with reference to FIG. 9A to FIG. 9C. Each of FIG. 9A to FIG. 9C schematically illustrates the orientation of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a as viewed in the substrate normal direction. An exemplary structure where a rectangular picture element region is provided with a circular opening 14 a will be described below. Cross-sectional views taken along line 1A-1A′ of FIG. 9A, line 1B-1B′ of FIG. 9B and line 1C-1C′ of FIG. 9C correspond to FIG. 1A to FIG. 1C, respectively, and FIG. 1A to FIG. 1C will also be referred to in the following description.

[0178] When the picture element electrode 15, including the lower conductive layer 12 and the upper conductive layer 14, and the counter electrode 22 are at the same potential, i.e., in a state where no voltage is applied across the liquid crystal layer 30, the liquid crystal molecules 30 a whose orientation direction is regulated by the vertical alignment layer (not shown) which is provided on one side of each of the TFT substrate 100 a and the counter substrate 100 b which is closer to the liquid crystal layer 30 take a vertical alignment as illustrated in FIG. 9A.

[0179] When an electric field is applied across the liquid crystal layer 30 so as to produce an electric field represented by equipotential lines EQ shown in FIG. 1A, a torque acts upon the liquid crystal molecules 30 a having a negative dielectric anisotropy so as to direct the axial orientation thereof to be parallel to the equipotential lines EQ. As described above with reference to FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B, for the liquid crystal molecules 30 a under an electric field represented by equipotential lines EQ perpendicular to the molecular axis thereof, the direction in which the liquid crystal molecules 30 a are to incline (rotate) is not uniquely defined (FIG. 5A), whereby the orientation change (inclination or rotation) does not easily occur. In contrast, for the liquid crystal molecules 30 a placed under equipotential lines EQ inclined with respect to the molecular axis of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a, the direction of inclination (rotation) is uniquely defined, whereby the orientation change easily occurs. In the structure illustrated in FIG. 9A to FIG. 9C, the liquid crystal molecules 30 a incline, starting from the edge portion along the circumference of the circular opening 14 a of the upper conductive layer 14 where the molecular axis of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a is inclined with respect to the equipotential lines EQ. Then, the surrounding liquid crystal molecules 30 a incline so as to conform with the orientation of the already-inclined liquid crystal molecules 30 a at the edge portion of the opening 14 a, as described above with reference to FIG. 5C. Then, the axial orientation of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a becomes stable as illustrated in FIG. 9C (radially-inclined orientation).

[0180] As described above, when the opening 14 a of the upper conductive layer 14 is in the form of a circle, the liquid crystal molecules 30 a in the picture element region successively incline, starting from the circumferential edge portion of the opening 14 a toward the center of the opening 14 a upon application of a voltage. As a result, there is obtained an orientation (radially-inclined orientation) in which those liquid crystal molecules 30 a around the center of the opening 14 a, where the respective orientation-regulating forces from the liquid crystal molecules 30 a at the edge portion are in equilibrium, remain in a vertical alignment with respect to the substrate plane, while the surrounding liquid crystal molecules 30 a are inclined in a radial pattern about those liquid crystal molecules 30 a around the center of the opening 14 a, with the degree of inclination gradually increasing away from the center of the opening 14 a. When the shape of the opening 14 a is a circle, as compared when it is a rectangle, the center of the radially-inclined orientation (the position of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a oriented vertical to the substrate plane) is stably formed at the center of the opening 14 a, whereby it is possible to realize a high-quality display without non-uniformity in all directions in the presence of an applied voltage.

[0181] It is believed that the effect that the center position of the radially-inclined orientation is stabilized, which is obtained when the shape of the opening 14 a is a circle, is due to the fact that a circle has a high degree of rotational symmetry, and the edge of the circular opening 14 a, which determines the inclination direction of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a, is continuous. The effect of stabilizing the radially-inclined orientation due to the continuity of the edge of the opening 14 a can also be obtained when the shape of the opening 14 a is an ellipse (an oblong circle).

[0182] As described above with reference to FIG. 8A to FIG. 8C, the radially-inclined orientation of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a can be more stabilized by giving a spiral pattern thereto. Therefore, it is preferred to employ a radially-inclined orientation of a counterclockwise or clockwise spiral pattern about the opening 14 a, as illustrated in FIG. 10A or FIG. 10B, respectively. Particularly, when the opening 14 a has a large area and the distance from a side of the opening 14 a to the center thereof is long, it is preferred to give a spiral pattern because, in such a case, the orientation of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a located in the opening 14 a is less likely to be stable. A spiral pattern can be given to a radially-inclined orientation by, for example, adding a chiral agent to a liquid crystal material.

STRUCTURE WITH A PLURALITY OF OPENINGS

[0183] In the above, the structure and function of the two-layer electrode having an opening have been described with examples where one opening is provided for each picture element region. Alternatively, a plurality of openings may be provided for each picture element region. In the following description, a structure with a two-layer picture element electrode having a plurality of openings is used for each picture element region will be described.

[0184] When a plurality of openings are provided for each picture element region, each of the openings preferably has a shape having rotational symmetry as described above so that the liquid crystal molecules in the picture element region take a uniform orientation in all azimuthal angles, and it is more preferred that the arrangement of the plurality of openings has rotational symmetry. The structure and operation of an exemplary liquid crystal display device including a two-layer picture element electrode in which a plurality of openings are arranged so that the openings have rotational symmetry for each picture element region will be described below.

[0185] Each of FIG. 11A to FIG. 11C schematically illustrates a cross-sectional structure of one picture element region of a liquid crystal display device 400 including the picture element electrode 15 having a plurality of openings 14 a (including 14 a 1 and 14 a 2). The liquid crystal display device 400 includes a TFT substrate 400 a and a counter substrate 100 b (substantially the same as the counter substrate 100 b illustrated in FIG. 1A to FIG. 1C).

[0186]FIG. 11A schematically illustrates an orientation of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a in the liquid crystal layer 30 in the absence of an applied voltage (OFF state). FIG. 11B schematically illustrates a state where the orientation of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a has just started to change (initial ON state) according to the voltage applied across the liquid crystal layer 30. FIG. 11C schematically illustrates a state where the orientation of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a which has changed and become steady according to the applied voltage. FIG. 11A to FIG. 11C respectively correspond to FIG. 1A to FIG. 1C illustrating the liquid crystal display device 100 including the picture element electrode 15 having only one opening 14 a for each picture element region. In FIG. 11A to FIG. 11C, the lower conductive layer 12, which is provided so as to oppose the openings 14 a 1 and 14 a 2 via the dielectric layer 13, overlaps both of the openings 14 a 1 and 14 a 2 and also extends in a region between the openings 14 a 1 and 14 a 2 (a region where the upper conductive layer 14 exists). However, the arrangement of the lower conductive layer 12 is not limited to this, as long as the lower conductive layer 12 has the positional relationship with respect to the openings 14 a 1 and 14 a 2 as illustrated in FIG. 11A to FIG. 11C. The lower conductive layer 12 which is provided at a position such that it opposes the region where the conductive layer of the upper conductive layer 14 exists via the dielectric layer 13 has substantially no influence on the electric field applied across the liquid crystal layer 30. Therefore, such a lower conductive layer 12 may or may not be patterned.

[0187] As illustrated in FIG. 11A, when the picture element electrode 15 and the counter electrode 22 are at the same potential (a state where no voltage is applied across the liquid crystal layer 30), the liquid crystal molecules 30 a in the picture element region are aligned vertical to the surfaces of the substrates 11 and 21.

[0188] When a voltage is applied across the liquid crystal layer 30, a potential gradient represented by equipotential lines EQ shown in FIG. 11B is produced. A uniform potential gradient represented by equipotential lines EQ parallel to the surfaces of the upper conductive layer 14 and the counter electrode 22 is produced in the liquid crystal layer 30 in a region between the upper conductive layer 14 of the picture element electrode 15 and the counter electrode 22. A potential gradient according to the potential difference between the lower conductive layer 12 and the counter electrode 22 is produced in regions of the liquid crystal layer 30 located above the openings 14 a 1 and 14 a 2 of the upper conductive layer 14. The potential gradient produced in the liquid crystal layer 30 is influenced by a voltage drop due to the dielectric layer 13, whereby the equipotential lines EQ in the liquid crystal layer 30 drop in regions corresponding to the openings 14 a 1 and 14 a 2 (creating a plurality of “troughs” in the equipotential lines EQ). Since the lower conductive layer 12 is provided in a region opposing the openings 14 a 1 and 14 a 2 via the dielectric layer 13, the liquid crystal layer 30 around the respective central portions of the openings 14 a 1 and 14 a 2 also has a potential gradient which is represented by a portion of the equipotential lines EQ parallel to the plane of the upper conductive layer 14 and the counter electrode 22 (“the bottom of the trough” of the equipotential lines EQ). An inclined electric field represented by an inclined portion of the equipotential lines EQ is produced in the liquid crystal layer 30 above an edge portion EG of each of the openings 14 a 1 and 14 a 2 (the peripheral portion of and within the opening including the boundary thereof).

[0189] A torque acts upon the liquid crystal molecules 30 a having a negative dielectric anisotropy so as to direct the axial orientation of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a to be parallel to the equipotential lines EQ. Therefore, the liquid crystal molecules 30 a above the right edge portion EG in FIG. 11B incline (rotate) clockwise and the liquid crystal molecules 30 a above the left edge portion EG incline (rotate) counterclockwise as indicated by arrows in FIG. 11B. As a result, the liquid crystal molecules 30 a above the edge portions EG are oriented parallel to the corresponding portions of the equipotential lines EQ.

[0190] When an electric field represented by a portion of the equipotential lines EQ inclined with respect to the axial orientation of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a (an inclined electric field) is produced at the edge portions EG of the openings 14 a 1 and 14 a 2 of the liquid crystal display device 400 of the present invention, as illustrated in FIG. 11B, the liquid crystal molecules 30 a incline in whichever direction (the counterclockwise direction in the illustrated example) that requires less rotation for the liquid crystal molecules 30 a to be parallel to the equipotential line EQ, as illustrated in FIG. 5B. The liquid crystal molecules 30 a in a region where an electric field represented by an equipotential line EQ perpendicular to the axial orientation of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a is produced incline in the same direction as the liquid crystal molecules 30 a located on the inclined portion of the equipotential lines EQ so that the orientation thereof is continuous (in conformity) with the orientation of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a located on the inclined portion of the equipotential lines EQ as illustrated in FIG. 5C.

[0191] The change in the orientation of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a, starting from those which are located on the inclined portion of the equipotential lines EQ, proceeds as described above and reaches a steady state, i.e., an inclined orientation (radially-inclined orientation) which is symmetric about the center SA of each of the openings 14 a 1 and 14 a 2, as schematically illustrated in FIG. 11C. The liquid crystal molecules 30 a in a region of the upper conductive layer 14 located between the two adjacent openings 14 a 1 and 14 a 2 also take an inclined orientation so that the orientation thereof is continuous (in conformity) with the orientation of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a at the edge portions of the openings 14 a 1 and 14 a 2. The liquid crystal molecules 30 a in the middle between the edge of the opening 14 a 1 and the edge of the opening 14 a 2 are subject to substantially the same influence from the liquid crystal molecules 30 a at the respective edge portions, and thus remain in a vertical alignment as the liquid crystal molecules 30 a located around the central portion of each of the openings 14 a 1 and 14 a 2. As a result, the liquid crystal layer above the upper conductive layer 14 between the adjacent two openings 14 a 1 and 14 a 2 also takes a radially-inclined orientation. Note that the inclination direction of the liquid crystal molecules differs between the radially-inclined orientation of the liquid crystal layer in each of the openings 14 a 1 and 14 a 2 and that of the liquid crystal layer between the openings 14 a 1 and 14 a 2. Observation of the orientation around the liquid crystal molecule 30 a at the center of each region having the radially-inclined orientation illustrated in FIG. 11C shows that the liquid crystal molecules 30 a in the regions of the openings 14 a 1 and 14 a 2 are inclined so as to form a cone which spreads toward the counter electrode, whereas the liquid crystal molecules 30 a in the region between the openings are inclined so as to form a cone which spreads toward the upper conductive layer 14. Since both of these radially-inclined orientations are formed so as to conform with the inclined orientation of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a at an edge portion, the two radially-inclined orientations are continuous with each other.

[0192] As described above, when a voltage is applied across the liquid crystal layer 30, the liquid crystal molecules 30 a incline, starting from those above the respective edge portions EG of the openings 14 a 1 and 14 a 2 provided in the upper conductive layer 14. Then, the liquid crystal molecules 30 a in the surrounding regions incline so as to conform with the inclined orientation of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a above the edge portion EG. Thus, a radially-inclined orientation is formed. Therefore, as the number of openings 14 a to be provided in each picture element region increases, the number of liquid crystal molecules 30 a which initially start inclining in response to an applied electric field also increases, thereby reducing the amount of time which is required to achieve the radially-inclined orientation across the entire picture element region. Thus, by increasing the number of openings 14 a to be provided in the picture element electrode for each picture element region, it is possible to improve the response speed of a liquid crystal display device.

[0193] As described above, by providing a plurality of openings 14 a 1 and 14 a 2 for each picture element region, it is possible to realize a liquid crystal display device having a desirable display quality and a desirable viewing angle characteristic in all azimuthal angles, and also to improve the response characteristic of the liquid crystal display device.

[0194] Next, the relationship between the shape and positional relationship of the plurality of openings 14 a and the orientation of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a will be described with reference to FIG. 12A to FIG. 12C and FIG. 13A to FIG. 13C. Cross-sectional views taken along line 11A-11A′ of FIG. 12A and FIG. 13A, line 11B-11B′ of FIG. 12B and FIG. 13B and line 11C-11C′ of FIG. 12C and FIG. 13C correspond to FIG. 11A to FIG. 11C, respectively.

[0195] While FIG. 12A to FIG. 12C and FIG. 13A to FIG. 13C illustrate a rectangular picture element electrode 15 (picture element region), the outer shape of the picture element electrode 15 (upper conductive layer 14) and the opening 14 a is not limited to this. The liquid crystal display device of the present invention is not limited to including only one electrode structure as illustrated in FIG. 12A to FIG. 12C or FIG. 13A to FIG. 13C for each picture element region, but may alternatively include a plurality of electrode structures as illustrated in FIG. 12A to FIG. 12C or FIG. 13A to FIG. 13C for each picture element region. The positional relationship between the periphery of the picture element electrode 15 (upper conductive layer 14) is not limited to any particular relationship. Alternatively, for example, a portion of the plurality of openings 14 a may overlap a side or a corner defining the periphery of the upper conductive layer 14. This also applies to a liquid crystal display device of any other embodiment in which a picture element region includes a plurality of openings 14 a. A preferred positional relationship among the openings 14 a for stabilizing the orientation of the liquid crystal molecules across the entire picture element region (and for improving the response speed) will be described later.

[0196] First, as described above, the shape of each opening 14 a may be a polygon, a circle or an ellipse. Since it is preferred that the shape of each opening 14 a has a high degree of rotational symmetry in order to improve the viewing angle characteristic in all azimuthal angles (eliminate the display non-uniformity) in the liquid crystal display device 400, the shape of each opening 14 a is preferably a regular polygon such as a square as illustrated in FIG. 12A to FIG. 12C or a circle as illustrated in FIG. 13A to FIG. 13C. The relationship between the shape of each opening 14 a and the orientation of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a is as described above, and will not be further described below.

[0197] In a structure where a plurality of openings 14 a are provided for each picture element region, it is preferred that the arrangement of the plurality of openings 14 a has rotational symmetry. For example, when four square openings 14 a are provided in a square upper conductive layer 14 (i.e., when a picture element region has a square shape), as illustrated in FIG. 12A to FIG. 12C, the four openings 14 a are preferably arranged so that they have rotational symmetry about the center SA of the square upper conductive layer 14. It is preferred that the center SA of the square upper conductive layer 14 is a four-fold rotation axis, as illustrated in the figures. With such an arrangement, each region having a radially-inclined orientation which is formed about each opening 14 a in the presence of an applied voltage across the liquid crystal layer 30, has four-fold rotational symmetry about the center SA of the upper conductive layer 14, as illustrated in FIG. 12B and FIG. 12C. As a result, the viewing angle characteristic of the liquid crystal display device 400 is even more uniform in all azimuthal angles.

[0198] While a structure where four openings 14 a are provided for each picture element region is illustrated in FIG. 12A to FIG. 12C, the number of openings 14 a is not limited to this. The number of openings 14 a to be provided for each picture element region can be suitably determined in view of the size and shape of the picture element region, the size of a region for which a radially-inclined orientation can be stably formed by a single opening 14 a, and the response speed. When providing a large number of openings 14 a for each picture element region, it is preferred that the arrangement of the openings 14 a has rotational symmetry across the entire picture element region in order to improve the uniformity of the viewing angle characteristic. However, depending upon the shape of the picture element region, it may not be possible to arrange the openings 14 a so as to have rotational symmetry across the entire picture element region. In such a case, it is preferred that the openings 14 a are arranged so as to have rotational symmetry across as much area as possible. For example, when the shape of the picture element region is an oblong rectangle, the oblong rectangle can be divided into squares, and a plurality of openings 14 a can be provided so that there is rotational symmetry for each of such squares. In this way, it is possible to obtain a liquid crystal display device having a sufficiently uniform viewing angle characteristic.

[0199]FIG. 13A to FIG. 13C illustrate a structure where a circular opening 14 a is provided instead of the square opening 14 a as illustrated in FIG. 12A to FIG. 12C.

[0200] It is possible to further improve the viewing angle characteristic of a liquid crystal display device by arranging four openings 14 a so that the center SA of the upper conductive layer 14 is a four-fold rotation axis as described above with reference to FIG. 12A to FIG. 12C. When the shape of each opening 14 a is a circle, rather than a polygon, there is a higher degree of continuity of orientation of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a at the edge portion of each opening 14 a, whereby the radially-inclined orientation of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a is more stable. Moreover, in a structure with a plurality of openings 14 a, if the shape of each opening 14 a is a circle, there is a high degree of continuity between radially-inclined orientations formed by adjacent openings 14 a, whereby the plurality of radially-inclined orientations formed in each picture element region are more easily stabilized.

[0201] For example, when four circular openings 14 a are arranged so that the respective centers thereof are at the respective corners of an oblong rectangle, as illustrated in FIG. 14, the liquid crystal molecules 30 a located along each diagonal of the oblong rectangle can form a continuous inclined orientation. In contrast, when four square openings 14 a are used in the arrangement illustrated in FIG. 14, the diagonal of the oblong rectangle formed by the respective centers of the openings 14 a does not coincide with the diagonal of each square opening 14 a. As can be appreciated from the above, the orientation of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a in the region surrounded by the four openings 14 a is less likely to be continuous. This problem can be avoided by providing four openings 14 a each having an oblong rectangle similar to the oblong rectangle which is formed by the respective centers of the four openings 14 a. However, the continuity of the radially-inclined orientation formed in each of the openings 14 a decreases. Thus, the shape and arrangement of the openings 14 a is preferably determined in view of the shape and size of the picture element region. FIG. 14 illustrates a state in the presence of an applied voltage across the liquid crystal layer, and a cross-sectional view taken along line 11C-11C′ of FIG. 14 corresponds to FIG. 11C.

[0202] A preferred arrangement of openings for an electrode structure having a plurality of openings for each picture element region (i.e., a two-layer electrode in which the picture element electrode or the counter electrode includes openings therein) will be described below in greater detail.

[0203] A pattern of the upper conductive layer 14 of another liquid crystal display device 400A of Embodiment 1 will be described with reference to FIG. 15A. FIG. 15B is a cross-sectional view taken along line 15B-15B′ of FIG. 15A. The cross-sectional view of FIG. 15B is substantially the same as that of FIG. 11A except that a solid portion of the upper conductive layer 14 is denoted by a reference numeral 14 b, and a unit solid portion thereof is denoted by a reference numeral 14 b′.

[0204] The upper conductive layer 14 of the liquid crystal display device 400A includes a plurality of openings 14 a and a solid portion 14 b. The opening 14 a refers to a portion of the upper conductive layer 14 made of a conductive film (e.g., an ITO film) from which the conductive film has been removed, and the solid portion 14 b refers to a portion thereof where the conductive film is present (the portion other than the openings 14 a). While a plurality of openings 14 a are formed for each picture element electrode, the solid portion 14 b is basically made of a single continuous conductive film.

[0205] The openings 14 a are arranged so that the respective centers thereof form a square lattice, and the unit solid portion 14 b′ (defined as a portion of the solid portion 14 b which is generally surrounded by four openings 14 a whose respective centers are located at the four lattice points which form one unit lattice) has a generally circular shape. Each opening 14 a has a generally star shape having four quarter-arc-shaped sides (edges) with a four-fold rotation axis at the center among the four sides. In order to stabilize the orientation across the entire picture element region, the unit lattices preferably exist up to the periphery of the upper conductive layer 14. Therefore, a peripheral portion of the upper conductive layer 14 is preferably patterned, as illustrated in the figure, into a shape which corresponds to a generally half piece of the opening 14 a (in a peripheral portion of the upper conductive layer 14 along a side thereof) or into a shape which corresponds to a generally quarter piece of the opening 14 a (in a peripheral portion of the upper conductive layer 14 at a corner thereof). The square shown in a solid line in FIG. 15A (a collection of the square lattices) represents a region (outer shape) corresponding to a conventional picture element electrode which is made of a single conductive layer.

[0206] The openings 14 a located in the central portion of the picture element region have generally the same shape and size. The unit solid portions 14 b′ located respectively in unit lattices formed by the openings 14 a are generally circular in shape, and have generally the same shape and size. Each unit solid portion 14 b′ is connected to adjacent unit solid portions 14 b′, thereby forming the solid portion 14 b which substantially functions as a single conductive film.

[0207] When a voltage is applied between the upper conductive layer 14 having such a structure as described above and the counter electrode 22, an inclined electric field is produced at the edge portion of each opening 14 a, thereby producing a plurality of liquid crystal domains each having a radially-inclined orientation. The liquid crystal domain is produced in each region corresponding to the opening 14 a and in each region corresponding to the unit solid portion 14 b′ in a unit lattice.

[0208] While the upper conductive layer 14 having a square shape is illustrated herein, the shape of the picture element electrode 14 is not limited to this. A typical shape of the upper conductive layer 14 can be approximated to a rectangular shape (including a square and an oblong rectangle), whereby the openings 14 a can be regularly arranged therein in a square lattice pattern. Even when the upper conductive layer 14 has a shape other than a rectangular shape, the effects of the present invention can be obtained as long as the openings 14 a are arranged in a regular manner (e.g., in a square lattice pattern as illustrated herein) so that liquid crystal domains are formed in all regions in the picture element region.

[0209] The shape (as viewed in the substrate normal direction) and arrangement of the openings 14 a of the upper conductive layer 14 of the liquid crystal display device 400A according to the present embodiment will now be described.

[0210] The display characteristics of a liquid crystal display device exhibit an azimuthal angle dependence due to the orientation (optical anisotropy) of the liquid crystal molecules. In order to reduce the azimuthal angle dependence of the display characteristics, it is preferred that the liquid crystal molecules are oriented in all azimuthal angles with substantially the same probability. More preferably, the liquid crystal molecules in each picture element region are oriented in all azimuthal angles with substantially the same probability. Therefore, the opening 14 a preferably has a shape such that liquid crystal domains are formed in each picture element region so that the liquid crystal molecules 30 a in the picture element region are oriented in all azimuthal angles with substantially the same probability. More specifically, the shape of the opening 14 a preferably has rotational symmetry (preferably with a high-order rotation axis, e.g., at least a two-fold rotation axis) about a symmetry axis extending through the center of each picture element region in the normal direction. It is also preferred that the plurality of openings 14 a are arranged so as to have rotational symmetry. Moreover, it is preferred that the shape of the unit solid portion 14 b′ which is generally surrounded by these openings also has rotational symmetry. It is also preferred that the unit solid portions 14 b′ are arranged so as to have rotational symmetry.

[0211] However, it may not be necessary to arrange the openings 14 a or the unit solid portions 14 b′ so as to have rotational symmetry across the entire picture element region. The liquid crystal molecules can be oriented in all azimuthal angles with substantially the same probability across the entire picture element region when, for example, a square lattice (having symmetry with a four-fold rotation axis) is used as the minimum unit, and the picture element region is formed by such square lattices, as illustrated in FIG. 15A.

[0212] The orientation of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a when the generally star-shaped openings 14 a having rotational symmetry and the generally circular unit solid portions 14 b′ are arranged in a square lattice pattern, as illustrated in FIG. 15A, will be described with reference to FIG. 16A to FIG. 16C.

[0213] Each of FIG. 16A to FIG. 16C schematically illustrates an orientation of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a as viewed in the substrate normal direction. In figures, such as FIG. 16B and FIG. 16C, illustrating the orientation of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a as viewed in the substrate normal direction, a black-spotted end of the liquid crystal molecule 30 a drawn as an ellipse indicates that the liquid crystal molecule 30 a is inclined so that the end is closer than the other end to the substrate on which the upper conductive layer 14 having the opening 14 a is provided. This similarly applies to all of the subsequent figures. A single unit lattice (which is formed by four openings 14 a) in the picture element region illustrated in FIG. 15A will be described below. Cross-sectional views taken along the respective diagonals of FIG. 16A to FIG. 16C correspond to FIG. 11A to FIG. 11C, respectively, and FIG. 11A to FIG. 11C will also be referred to in the following description.

[0214] When the upper conductive layer 14 and the counter electrode 22 are at the same potential, i.e., in a state where no voltage is applied across the liquid crystal layer 30, the liquid crystal molecules 30 a whose orientation direction is regulated by the vertical alignment layer (not shown) which is provided on one side of each of the TFT substrate 400 a and the counter substrate 100 b which is closer to the liquid crystal layer 30 take a vertical alignment as illustrated in FIG. 16A.

[0215] When an electric field is applied across the liquid crystal layer 30, the liquid crystal molecules 30 a incline, starting from those at the edge portion of each opening 14 a, as illustrated in FIG. 16B. Then, the surrounding liquid crystal molecules 30 a incline so as to conform with the orientation of the already-inclined liquid crystal molecules 30 a at the edge portion of the opening 14 a. Then, the axial orientation of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a becomes stable as illustrated in FIG. 16C (radially-inclined orientation).

[0216] As described above, when the shape of the opening 14 a has rotational symmetry, the liquid crystal molecules 30 a in the picture element region successively incline, starting from the edge portion of the opening 14 a toward the center of the opening 14 a upon application of a voltage. As a result, there is obtained an orientation in which those liquid crystal molecules 30 a around the center of the opening 14 a, where the respective orientation-regulating forces from the liquid crystal molecules 30 a at the edge portion are in equilibrium, remain in a vertical alignment with respect to the substrate plane, while the surrounding liquid crystal molecules 30 a are inclined in a radial pattern about those liquid crystal molecules 30 a around the center of the opening 14 a, with the degree of inclination gradually increasing away from the center of the opening 14 a.

[0217] The liquid crystal molecules 30 a in a region corresponding to the generally circular unit solid portion 14 b′ which is surrounded by the four generally star-shaped openings 14 a arranged in a square lattice pattern also incline so as to conform with the orientation of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a which have been inclined by an inclined electric field produced at the edge portion of each opening 14 a. As a result, there is obtained an orientation in which those liquid crystal molecules 30 a around the center of the unit solid portion 14 b′, where the respective orientation-regulating forces from the liquid crystal molecules 30 a at the edge portions are in equilibrium, remain in a vertical alignment with respect to the substrate plane, while the surrounding liquid crystal molecules 30 a are inclined in a radial pattern about those liquid crystal molecules 30 a around the center of the unit solid portion 14 b′, with the degree of inclination gradually increasing away from the center of the unit solid portion 14 b′.

[0218] As described above, when liquid crystal domains in each of which the liquid crystal molecules 30 a take a radially-inclined orientation are arranged in a square lattice pattern across the entire picture element region, the existence probabilities of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a of the respective axial orientations have rotational symmetry, whereby it is possible to realize a high-quality display without non-uniformity for any viewing angle. In order to reduce the viewing angle dependence of a liquid crystal domain having a radially-inclined orientation, the liquid crystal domain preferably has a high degree of rotational symmetry (preferably with at least a two-fold rotation axis, and more preferably with at least a four-fold rotation axis). Moreover, in order to reduce the viewing angle dependence across the entire picture element region, the plurality of liquid crystal domains provided in the picture element region are preferably arranged in a pattern (e.g., a square lattice pattern) which is a combination of a plurality of unit patterns (e.g., unit lattice patterns) each having a high degree of rotational symmetry (preferably with at least a two-fold rotation axis, and more preferably with at least a four-fold rotation axis).

[0219]FIG. 15A illustrates an example in which each opening 14 a has a generally star shape and each unit solid portion 14 b′ has a generally circular shape, wherein such openings 14 a and such unit solid portions 14 b′ are arranged in a square lattice pattern. However, the shape of the opening 14 a, the shape of the unit solid portion 14 b′, and the arrangement thereof are not limited to those of the example above.

[0220]FIG. 17A and FIG. 17B are plan views respectively illustrating upper conductive layers 14A and 14B having respective openings 14 a and unit solid portions 14 b′ of different shapes.

[0221] The openings 14 a and the unit solid portions 14 b′ of the upper conductive layers 14A and 14B illustrated in FIG. 17A and FIG. 17B, respectively, are slightly distorted from those of the picture element electrode illustrated in FIG. 15A. The openings 14 a and the unit solid portions 14 b′ of the upper conductive layers 14A and 14B have a two-fold rotation axis (not a four-fold rotation axis) and are regularly arranged so as to form oblong rectangular unit lattices. In both of the upper conductive layers 14A and 14B, the opening 14 a has a distorted star shape, and the unit solid portion 14 b′ has a generally elliptical shape (a distorted circle). Also with the upper conductive layers 14A and 14B, it is possible to obtain a liquid crystal display device having a high display quality and a desirable viewing angle characteristic.

[0222] Moreover, upper conductive layers 14C and 14D as illustrated in FIG. 18A and FIG. 18B, respectively, may alternatively be used.

[0223] In the upper conductive layers 14C and 14D, generally cross-shaped openings 14 a are arranged in a square lattice pattern so that each unit solid portion 14 b′ has a generally square shape. Of course, the patterns of the upper conductive layers 14C and 14D may be distorted so that there are oblong rectangular unit lattices. As described above, it is possible to obtain a liquid crystal display device having a high display quality and a desirable viewing angle characteristic alternatively by regularly arranging the generally rectangular (including a square and oblong rectangle) unit solid portions 14 b′.

[0224] However, the shape of the opening 14 a and/or the unit solid portion 14 b′ is preferably a circle or an ellipse, rather than a rectangle, so that a radially-inclined orientation is more stable. It is believed that a radially-inclined orientation is more stable with a circular or elliptical opening and/or unit solid portion because the edge of the opening 14 a is more continuous (smooth), whereby the orientation direction of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a changes more continuously (smoothly).

[0225] In view of the continuity of the orientation direction of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a described above, upper conductive layers 14E and 14F as illustrated in FIG. 19A and FIG. 19B, respectively, are also desirable. The upper conductive layer 14E illustrated in FIG. 19A is a variation of the upper conductive layer 14 illustrated in FIG. 15A in which each opening 14 a is simply comprised of four arcs. The upper conductive layer 14F illustrated in FIG. 19B is a variation of the upper conductive layer 14D illustrated in FIG. 18B in which each unit solid portion 14 b′ defined by the surrounding openings 14 a is formed by a combination of quarter arcs. In both of the upper conductive layers 14E and 14F, the openings 14 a and the unit solid portions 14 b′ have a four-fold rotation axis and are arranged in a square lattice pattern (having a four-fold rotation axis). Alternatively, the shape of the unit solid portion 14 b′ of the opening 14 a may be distorted into a shape having a two-fold rotation axis and arranged so as to form oblong rectangular lattices (having a two-fold rotation axis), as illustrated in FIG. 17A and FIG. 17B.

[0226] In the examples described above, the openings 14 a are generally star-shaped or generally cross-shaped, and the unit solid portions 14 b′ are generally circular, generally elliptical, generally square (rectangular), and generally rectangular with rounded corners. Alternatively, the negative-positive relationship between the openings 14 a and the unit solid portions 14 b′ may be inverted (hereinafter, the inversion of the negative-positive relationship between the openings 14 a and the unit solid portions 14 b′ will be referred to simply as “inversion”). For example, FIG. 20 illustrates an upper conductive layer 14G having a pattern obtained by inverting the negative-positive relationship between the openings 14 a and the unit solid portions 14 b′ of the upper conductive layer 14 illustrated in FIG. 15A. The upper conductive layer 14G having an inverted pattern has substantially the same function as that of the upper conductive layer 14 illustrated in FIG. 15A. When the opening 14 a and the unit solid portion 14 b′ both have a generally square shape, as in upper conductive layers 14H and 14I illustrated in FIG. 21A and FIG. 21B, respectively, the inverted pattern is substantially the same as the original pattern.

[0227] Also when the pattern illustrated in FIG. 15A is inverted as in the pattern illustrated in FIG. 20, it is preferred to form partial pieces (generally half or quarter pieces) of the opening 14 a so as to form the unit solid portions 14 b′ having rotational symmetry at the edge portion of the upper conductive layer 14. By employing such a pattern, the effect of an inclined electric field can be obtained at the edge portion of a picture element region as in the central portion of the picture element region, whereby it is possible to realize a stable radially-inclined orientation across the entire picture element region.

[0228] Next, which one of two inverted patterns should be employed will be discussed with respect to the upper conductive layer 14 of FIG. 15A and the upper conductive layer 14G illustrated in FIG. 20 having a pattern obtained by inverting the pattern of the openings 14 a and the unit solid portions 14 b′ of the upper conductive layer 14.

[0229] With either pattern, the length of the perimeter of each opening 14 a is the same. Therefore, for the function of producing an inclined electric field, there is no difference between the two patterns. However, the area ratio of the unit solid portion 14 b′ (with respect to the total area of the upper conductive layer 14) may differ between the two patterns. In other words, the area of the solid portion 14 b (the portion where the conductive film exists) for producing an electric field which is applied through the liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer may differ therebetween.

[0230] The voltage applied through a liquid crystal domain formed in the opening 14 a is lower than the voltage applied through another liquid crystal domain formed in the solid portion 14 b. As a result, in a normally black mode display, for example, the liquid crystal domain formed in the opening 14 a appears darker. Thus, as the area ratio of the openings 14 a increases, the display brightness decreases. Therefore, it is preferred that the area ratio of the solid portion 14 b is high. While the description herein ignores the effect of the lower conductive layer for the sake of simplicity, the two-layer electrode of the liquid crystal display device of the present invention includes a lower conductive layer (e.g., the lower conductive layer 12 of FIG. 1A to FIG. 1C) in a region corresponding to the opening 14 a of the upper conductive layer 14. Therefore, since an electric field from the lower conductive layer acts also upon the liquid crystal layer 30 in the region corresponding to the opening 14 a, the degree of decrease in the display brightness along with an increase in the area ratio of the openings 14 a is less than that for the conventional liquid crystal display device 300 described above with reference to FIG. 4A to FIG. 4C.

[0231] Whether the area ratio of the solid portion 14 b is higher in the pattern of FIG. 15A or in the pattern of FIG. 20 depends upon the pitch (size) of the unit lattice.

[0232]FIG. 22A illustrates a unit lattice of the pattern illustrated in FIG. 15A, and FIG. 22B illustrates a unit lattice of the pattern illustrated in FIG. 20 (the opening 14 a being taken as the center of each lattice). The portions illustrated in FIG. 20 which serve to connect adjacent unit solid portions 14 b′ together (the branch portions extending in four directions from the circular portion) are omitted in FIG. 22B. The length of one side of the square unit lattice (the pitch) is denoted by “p”, and the distance between the opening 14 a or the unit solid portion 14 b′ and a side of the unit lattice (the width of the side space) is denoted by “s”. It should be noted that at least one branch portion is sufficient to connect the unit solid portions 14 b′ with each other so as to set the unit solid portions 14 b′ at the same voltage. In general, boundary portions between the openings 14 a or boundary portions between the unit solid portions 14 b′ may be in the form of the solid portion 14 b or the opening 14 a so long as the boundary portions do not affect the orientation of the liquid crystal molecules adversely.

[0233] Various samples of upper conductive layers 14 having different pitches p and side spaces s were produced so as to examine the stability of the radially-inclined orientation, etc. As a result, it was found that with the upper conductive layer 14 having a pattern illustrated in FIG. 22A (hereinafter, referred to as the “positive pattern”), the side space s needs to be about 2.75 μm or more so as to produce an inclined electric field required to obtain a radially-inclined orientation. It was found that with the upper conductive layer 14 having a pattern illustrated in FIG. 22B (hereinafter, referred to as the “negative pattern”), the side space s needs to be about2.25 μm or more so as to produce an inclined electric field required to obtain a radially-inclined orientation. For each pattern, the area ratio of the solid portion 14 b was examined while changing the value of the pitch p with the side space s fixed to its lower limit value above. The results are shown in Table 1 below and in FIG. 22C. TABLE 1 Solid portion area ratio (%) Pitch p (μm) Positive (FIG. 22A) Negative (FIG. 22B) 20 41.3 52.9 25 47.8 47.2 30 52.4 43.3 35 55.8 40.4 40 58.4 38.2 45 60.5 36.4 50 62.2 35.0

[0234] As can be seen from Table 1 and FIG. 22C, the positive pattern (FIG. 22A) has a higher area ratio of the solid portion 14 b when the pitch p is about 25 μm or more, and the negative pattern (FIG. 22B) has a higher area ratio of the solid portion 14 b when the pitch p is less than about 25 μm. Therefore, in view of the display brightness and the stability of orientation, the pattern which should be employed changes at the critical pitch p of about 25 μm. For example, when three or fewer unit lattices are provided along the width direction of the upper conductive layer 14 having a width of 75 μm, the positive pattern illustrated in FIG. 22A is preferred, and when four or more unit lattices are provided, the negative pattern illustrated in FIG. 22B is preferred. For patterns other than that illustrated herein, the selection between a positive pattern and a negative pattern can similarly be made so as to obtain the larger area ratio of the solid portion 14 b.

[0235] The number of unit lattices can be determined as follows. The various sizes for each unit lattice are calculated so that one or more (an integer number of) unit lattices are arranged along the width (horizontal or vertical) of the upper conductive layer 14, and the area ratio of the solid portion is calculated for each calculated unit lattice size. Then, the unit lattice size such that the area ratio of the solid portion is maximized. Note that the orientation-regulating force from an inclined electric field decreases, whereby a stable radially-inclined orientation is not easily obtained, when the diameter of the unit solid portion 14 b′ (for the positive pattern) or the opening 14 a (for the negative pattern) is less than 15 μm. The lower limit diameter value is for a case where the thickness of the liquid crystal layer 30 is about 3 μm. When the thickness of the liquid crystal layer 30 is less than about 3 μm, a stable radially-inclined orientation can be obtained even with a smaller diameter. When the thickness of the liquid crystal layer 30 is greater than about 3 μm, the lower limit diameter for obtaining a stable radially-inclined orientation is greater than the value shown above. In the liquid crystal display device of the present invention, since an electric field from the lower conductive layer also acts upon the liquid crystal layer 30, the deterioration in the display quality can be suppressed even when the diameter of the opening 14 a is set to be slightly greater than that shown in the above results.

[0236] Except that the picture element electrode 15 is a two-layer electrode having openings, the liquid crystal display device of Embodiment 1 described above may employ the same structure as that of a known vertical alignment type liquid crystal display device and can be produced by a known production method. A method for forming the two-layer picture element electrode will be described below and the description of the other steps of the production method will be omitted. Again, FIG. 1A, for example, will be referred to.

[0237] Up to the step of depositing a transparent conductive layer (typically, an ITO layer) which is to be the lower conductive layer 12, a known method can be employed. Then, in the process of producing a known liquid crystal display device, the conductive layer is patterned into a predetermined pattern to provide a picture element electrode. The lower conductive layer 12 of the liquid crystal display device of the present embodiment can be patterned in the step of patterning the picture element electrode in the process of producing a known liquid crystal display device. The pattern of the lower conductive layer may be either the same as the picture element electrode or a divided pattern corresponding to the openings 14 a in the upper conductive layer 14. As in a conventional picture element electrode, the lower conductive layer 12 is electrically connected to the drain electrode, or the like, (an electrode substantially at the same potential as the drain) of a TFT.

[0238] The dielectric layer 13 is provided substantially across the entire surface of the substrate 100 a on which the lower conductive layer 12 has been patterned. The dielectric layer 13 may be provided by using a transparent photosensitive resin, for example. Then, a conductive layer is deposited on the dielectric layer 13 again. The obtained conductive layer is patterned so as to provide the upper conductive layer 14 having the openings 14 a.

[0239] Contact holes are provided in the dielectric layer 13 in advance for connecting the upper conductive layer 14 to TFT drain electrodes. This step can also be performed by using a known process. With a structure where the upper conductive layer 14 and the lower conductive layer 12 are driven at the same potential, the upper conductive layer 14 and the lower conductive layer 12 may be connected to the same TFT, as illustrated herein. This structure also provides an advantage that a conventional driving circuit can be employed as it is.

[0240] Typically, a vertical alignment layer (not shown) is provided on one side of each of the picture element electrode 15 and the counter electrode 22 which is closer to the liquid crystal layer 30 so as to vertically align the liquid crystal molecules having a negative dielectric anisotropy. The vertical alignment layer can be provided in the display region of the substrate 100 a by a printing process after the provision of the upper conductive layer 14 having the openings 14 a.

[0241] Herein, the liquid crystal material is a nematic liquid crystal material having a negative dielectric anisotropy. A guest-host mode liquid crystal display device can be obtained by adding a dichroic dye to a nematic liquid crystal material having a negative dielectric anisotropy. A guest-host mode liquid crystal display device does not require a polarizing plate.

EMBODIMENT 2

[0242] The structure of one picture element region of a liquid crystal display device 400B according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention will now be described with reference to FIG. 23A and FIG. 23B. In the subsequent figures, each element having substantially the same function as that of the liquid crystal display device 400 illustrated in FIG. 11A to FIG. 11C will be denoted by the same reference numeral and will not be further described. FIG. 23A is a plan view as viewed in the substrate normal direction, and FIG. 23B is a cross-sectional view taken along line 23B-23B′ of FIG. 23A. FIG. 23B schematically illustrates a state where no voltage is applied across the liquid crystal layer.

[0243] As illustrated in FIG. 23A and FIG. 23B, the liquid crystal display device 400B is different from the liquid crystal display device 400A of Embodiment 1 illustrated in FIG. 15A and FIG. 15B in that a TFT substrate 400 b of the liquid crystal display device 400B includes a protrusion 40 in the opening 14 a of the upper conductive layer 14. A vertical alignment film (not shown) is provided on the surface of the protrusion 40. Hereinafter, the TFT substrate having the protrusion 40 in the opening 14 a will be denoted by the reference numeral 400 b regardless of the structure of the protrusion 40.

[0244] While the liquid crystal display device 400B obtained by providing the protrusion 40 in the opening 14 a of the upper conductive layer 14 of the liquid crystal display device 400 illustrated in FIG. 11A to FIG. 11C is illustrated herein, the structure with the protrusion 40 can also be applied to other liquid crystal display devices of Embodiment 1.

[0245] The cross section of the protrusion 40 along the plane of the substrate 11 is a generally star-shaped cross section, i.e., the same shape as that of the opening 14 a, as illustrated in FIG. 23A. Note that adjacent protrusions 40 are connected to each other so as to completely surround each unit solid portion 14 b′ in a generally circular pattern. The cross section of the protrusion 40 along a plane vertical to the substrate 11 is trapezoidal shape as illustrated in FIG. 23B. Specifically, the cross section has a top surface 40 t parallel to the substrate plane and a side surface 40 s inclined by a taper angle θ(<90°) with respect to the substrate plane. Since the vertical alignment film (not shown) is provided so as to cover the protrusion 40, the side surface 40 s of the protrusion 40 has an orientation-regulating force of the same direction as that of an inclined electric field for the liquid crystal molecules 30 a of the liquid crystal layer 30, thereby functioning to stabilize the radially-inclined orientation.

[0246] The function of the protrusion 40 will now be described with reference to FIG. 24A to FIG. 24D, FIG. 25A and FIG. 25B.

[0247] First, the relationship between the orientation of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a and the configuration of the surface having a vertical alignment power will be described with reference to FIG. 24A to FIG. 24D.

[0248] As illustrated in FIG. 24A, a liquid crystal molecule 30 a on a horizontal surface is aligned vertical to the surface due to the orientation-regulating force of the surface having a vertical alignment power (typically, the surface of a vertical alignment film). When an electric field represented by an equipotential line EQ perpendicular to the axial orientation of the liquid crystal molecule 30 a is applied through the liquid crystal molecule 30 a in a vertical alignment, a torque urging the liquid crystal molecule 30 a to incline clockwise and a torque urging the liquid crystal molecule 30 a to incline counterclockwise act upon the liquid crystal molecule 30 a with the same probability. Therefore, in the liquid crystal layer 30 between a pair of opposing electrodes in a parallel plate arrangement include some liquid crystal molecules 30 a which are subject to the clockwise torque and other liquid crystal molecules 30 a which are subject to the counterclockwise torque. As a result, the transition to the orientation according to the voltage applied across the liquid crystal layer 30 may not proceed smoothly.

[0249] When an electric field represented by a horizontal equipotential line EQ is applied through a liquid crystal molecule 30 a vertically aligned to an inclined surface, as illustrated in FIG. 24B, the liquid crystal molecule 30 a inclines in whichever direction (the clockwise direction in the illustrated example) that requires less inclination for the liquid crystal molecule 30 a to be parallel to the equipotential line EQ. Then, as illustrated in FIG. 24C, other adjacent liquid crystal molecules 30 a aligned vertical to a horizontal surface incline in the same direction (the clockwise direction) as the liquid crystal molecule 30 a located on the inclined surface so that the orientation thereof is continuous (in conformity) with the orientation of the liquid crystal molecule 30 a aligned vertical to the inclined surface.

[0250] As illustrated in FIG. 24D, for a surface with concave/convex portions whose cross section includes a series of trapezoids, the liquid crystal molecules 30 a on the top surface and those on the bottom surface are oriented so as to conform with the orientation direction regulated by other liquid crystal molecules 30 a on the inclined portions of the surface.

[0251] In the liquid crystal display device of the present embodiment, the direction of the orientation-regulating force exerted by the configuration (protrusions) of the surface is aligned with the direction of the orientation-regulating force exerted by an inclined electric field, thereby stabilizing the radially-inclined orientation.

[0252]FIG. 25A and FIG. 25B each illustrate a state in the presence of an applied voltage across the liquid crystal layer 30 shown in FIG. 23B. FIG. 25A schematically illustrates a state where the orientation of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a has just started to change (initial ON state) according to the voltage applied across the liquid crystal layer 30. FIG. 25B schematically illustrates a state where the orientation of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a which has changed and become steady according to the applied voltage. In FIG. 25A and FIG. 25B, curves EQ denote equipotential lines.

[0253] When the upper conductive layer 14, the lower conductive layer 12 and the counter electrode 22 are at the same potential (i.e., in a state where no voltage is applied across the liquid crystal layer 30), the liquid crystal molecules 30 a in each picture element region are aligned vertical to the surfaces of the substrates 11 and 21 as illustrated in FIG. 23B. The liquid crystal molecules 30 a in contact with the vertical alignment film (not shown) on the side surface 40 s of the protrusion 40 are aligned vertical to the side surface 40 s, and the liquid crystal molecules 30 a in the vicinity of the side surface 40 s take an inclined orientation as illustrated due to the interaction (the nature as an elastic continuum) with the surrounding liquid crystal molecules 30 a.

[0254] When a voltage is applied across the liquid crystal layer 30, a potential gradient represented by equipotential lines EQ shown in FIG. 25A is produced. The equipotential lines EQ are parallel to the surfaces of the solid portion 14 b and the counter electrode 22 in a region of the liquid crystal layer 30 located between the solid portion 14 b of the upper conductive layer 14 and the counter electrode 22, and drop in a region corresponding to the opening 14 a of the upper conductive layer 14, thereby producing an inclined electric field represented by the inclined portion of the equipotential lines EQ in each region of the liquid crystal layer 30 above an edge portion (the peripheral portion of and within the opening 14 a including the boundary thereof) EG of the opening 14 a. An electric field represented by equipotential lines EQ parallel to the surfaces of the lower conductive layer 12 and the counter electrode 22 is produced in a portion of the region of the liquid crystal layer 30 corresponding to the opening 14 a of the upper conductive layer 14 where the liquid crystal molecules 30 a are not influenced by the potential of the upper conductive layer 14.

[0255] Due to the inclined electric field, the liquid crystal molecules 30 a above the right edge portion EG in FIG. 25A incline (rotate) clockwise and the liquid crystal molecules 30 a above the left edge portion EG incline (rotate) counterclockwise as indicated by arrows in FIG. 25A, as described above, so as to be parallel to the equipotential lines EQ. The direction of the orientation-regulating force exerted by the inclined electric field is the same as that of the orientation-regulating force exerted by the side surface 40 s located at each edge portion EG.

[0256] As described above, the change in the orientation starts from the liquid crystal molecules 30 a located on the inclined portion of the equipotential lines EQ, and reaches a steady state of the orientation schematically illustrated in FIG. 25B. The liquid crystal molecules 30 a around the central portion of the top surface 40 t of the protrusion 40 are substantially equally influenced by the respective orientations of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a at the opposing edge portions EG of the opening 14 a, and therefore retain their orientation perpendicular to the equipotential lines EQ. The liquid crystal molecules 30 a away from the center of the opening 14 a (the top surface 40 t of the protrusion 40) incline by the influence of the orientation of other liquid crystal molecules 30 a at the closer edge portion EG, thereby forming an inclined orientation which is symmetric about the center SA of the opening 14 a (the top surface 40 t of the protrusion 40). An inclined orientation symmetric about the center SA of the unit solid portion 14 b′ is formed also in the region corresponding to the unit solid portion 14 b′ which is substantially surrounded by the openings 14 a and the protrusions 40.

[0257] As described above, in the liquid crystal display device 400B of Embodiment 2, as in the liquid crystal display device 400A of Embodiment 1, liquid crystal domains each having a radially-inclined orientation are formed corresponding to the openings 14 a and the unit solid portions 14 b′ (see FIG. 16C). Since the protrusions 40 are provided so as to completely surround each unit solid portion 14 b′ in a generally circular pattern, each liquid crystal domain is formed corresponding the generally circular region surrounded by the protrusions 40. Since the side surface 40 s of the protrusion 40 provided in the opening 14 a functions to incline the liquid crystal molecules 30 a in the vicinity of the edge portion EG of the opening 14 a in the same direction as the direction of the orientation-regulating force exerted by the inclined electric field, thereby stabilizing the radially-inclined orientation.

[0258] Of course, the orientation-regulating force exerted by the inclined electric field only acts in the presence of an applied voltage, and the strength thereof depends upon the strength of the electric field (the level of the applied voltage). Therefore, when the electric field strength is small (i.e., when the applied voltage is low), the orientation-regulating force exerted by the inclined electric field is weak, in which case the radially-inclined orientation may collapse due to floating of the liquid crystal material when an external force is applied to the liquid crystal panel. Once the radially-inclined orientation collapses, it is not restored until application of a voltage sufficient to produce an inclined electric field which exerts a sufficiently strong orientation-regulating force. On the other hand, the orientation-regulating force from the side surface 40 s of the protrusion 40 is exerted regardless of the applied voltage, and is very strong as it is known in the art as the “anchoring effect” of the alignment film. Therefore, even when floating of the liquid crystal material occurs and the radially-inclined orientation once collapses, the liquid crystal molecules 30 a in the vicinity of the side surface 40 s of the protrusion 40 retain the same orientation direction as that of the radially-inclined orientation. Therefore, the radially-inclined orientation is easily restored once the floating of the liquid crystal material stops.

[0259] Thus, the liquid crystal display device 400B of Embodiment 2 has an additional advantage of being strong against an external force in addition to the advantages of the liquid crystal display device 400A of Embodiment 1. Therefore, the liquid crystal display device 400B can be suitably used in apparatuses which are often subject to an external force, such as PCs which are often carried around and PDAs.

[0260] When the protrusion 40 is made of a dielectric material having a high transparency, there is obtained an advantage of improving the contribution to the display of a liquid crystal domain which is formed in a region corresponding to the opening 14 a. When the protrusion 40 is made of an opaque dielectric material, there is obtained an advantage that it is possible to prevent light leakage caused by the retardation of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a which are in an inclined orientation due to the side surface 40 s of the protrusion 40. Whether to employ a transparent dielectric material or an opaque dielectric material can be determined in view of the application of the liquid crystal display device. In either case, the use of a photosensitive resin provides an advantage that the step of patterning the protrusions 40 corresponding to the openings 14 a can be simplified. In order to obtain a sufficient orientation-regulating force, the height of the protrusion 40 is preferably in the range of about 0.5 μm to about 2 μm, when the thickness of the liquid crystal layer 30 is about 3 μm. Typically, the height of the protrusion 40 is preferably in the range of about ⅙ to about ⅔ of the thickness of the liquid crystal layer 30.

[0261] As described above, the liquid crystal display device 400B includes the protrusion 40 in the opening 14 a of the upper conductive layer 14, and the side surface 40 s of the protrusion 40 exerts an orientation-regulating force in the same direction as that of the orientation-regulating force exerted by an inclined electric field for the liquid crystal molecules 30 a of the liquid crystal layer 30. Preferred conditions for the side surface 40 s to exert an orientation-regulating force of the same direction as that of the orientation-regulating force exerted by the inclined electric field will now be described with reference to FIG. 26A to FIG. 26C.

[0262]FIG. 26A to FIG. 26C schematically illustrate cross-sectional views of liquid crystal display devices 400C, 400D and 400E, respectively. FIG. 26A to FIG. 26C correspond to FIG. 25A. The liquid crystal display devices 400C, 400D and 400E all have a protrusion at least in the opening 14 a, but differ from the liquid crystal display device 400B in terms of the positional relationship between the entire protrusion 40 as a single structure and the corresponding opening 14 a.

[0263] In the liquid crystal display device 400B described above, the entire protrusion 40 as a structure is formed in the opening 14 a, and the bottom surface of the protrusion 40 is smaller than the opening 14 a, as illustrated in FIG. 25A. In the liquid crystal display device 400C illustrated in FIG. 26A, the bottom surface of a protrusion 40A is aligned with the opening 14 a. In the liquid crystal display device 400D illustrated in FIG. 26B, the bottom surface of the protrusion 40B is greater than the opening 14 a so as to cover a portion of the solid portion (conductive film) 14 b surrounding the opening 14 a. The solid portion 14 b is not formed on the side surface 40 s of any of the protrusions 40, 40A and 40B. As a result, the equipotential lines EQ are substantially flat over the solid portion 14 b and drop into the opening 14 a, as illustrated in the respective figures. Therefore, as the protrusion 40 of the liquid crystal display device 400B, the side surface 40 s of the protrusion 40A of the liquid crystal display device 400C and that of the protrusion 40B of the liquid crystal display device 400D both exert an orientation-regulating force of the same direction as that of the orientation-regulating force exerted by the inclined electric field, thereby stabilizing the radially-inclined orientation.

[0264] In contrast, in the liquid crystal display device 400E illustrated in FIG. 26C, the bottom surface of a protrusion 40C is greater than the opening 14 a, and a portion of the solid portion 14 b extending into a region above the opening 14 a is formed on the side surface 40 s of the protrusion 40C. Due to the influence of the portion of the solid portion 14 b formed on the side surface 40 s, a ridge portion is created in the equipotential lines EQ. The ridge portion of the equipotential lines EQ has a gradient opposite to that of the other portion of the equipotential lines EQ dropping into the opening 14 a. This indicates that an inclined electric field has been produced whose direction is opposite to that of an inclined electric field for orienting the liquid crystal molecules 30 a into a radially-inclined orientation. Therefore, in order for the side surface 40 s to have an orientation-regulating force of the same direction as that of the orientation-regulating force exerted by the inclined electric field, it is preferred that the solid portion (conductive film) 14 b is not formed on the side surface 40 s.

[0265] Next, a cross-sectional structure of the protrusion 40 taken along line 27A-27A′ of FIG. 23A will be described with reference to FIG. 27.

[0266] Since the protrusions 40 illustrated in FIG. 23A are formed so as to completely surround each unit solid portion 14 b′ in a generally circular pattern, as described above, the portions serving to connect adjacent unit solid portions 14 b together (the branch portions extending in four directions from the circular portion) are formed on the protrusion 40 as illustrated in FIG. 27. Therefore, in the step of depositing the conductive film to be the solid portions 14 b of the upper conductive layer 14, there is a considerable possibility that disconnection may occur on the protrusion 40 or delamination may occur in an after-treatment of the production process.

[0267] In view of this, in a liquid crystal display device 400F illustrated in FIG. 28A and FIG. 28B, protrusions 40D independent of one another are formed so that each of the protrusions 40D is completely included within the opening 14 a so that the conductive film to be the solid portion 14 b is formed on the flat surface of the substrate 11, thereby eliminating the possibility of disconnection or delamination. Although the protrusions 40D do not completely surround each unit solid portion 14 b′ in a generally circular pattern, a generally circular liquid crystal domain corresponding to each unit solid portion 14 b′ is formed, and the radially-inclined orientation of the unit solid portion 14 b′ is stabilized as in the above-described examples.

[0268] The effect of stabilizing the radially-inclined orientation which is obtained by forming the protrusion 40 in the opening 14 a is not limited to the pattern of the opening 14 a described above, but may similarly be applied to any pattern of the opening 14 a described above in Embodiment 1 to obtain effects as those described above. In order for the protrusion 40 to sufficiently exert the effect of stabilizing the orientation against an external force, it is preferred that the pattern of the protrusion 40 (the pattern as viewed in the substrate normal direction) covers as much area as possible of the liquid crystal layer 30. Therefore, for example, a greater orientation stabilizing effect of the protrusion 40 can be obtained with the positive pattern with circular unit solid portions 14 b′ than with the negative pattern with circular openings 14 a.

EMBODIMENT 3

[0269] In the liquid crystal display device of Embodiment 1 described above, a two-layer electrode is employed for one (the picture element electrode 15 in the illustrated example) of the picture element electrode 15 defining picture element regions and the counter electrode 22 opposing each other via the liquid crystal layer 30, and the openings 14 a are provided in the upper conductive layer 14, so that an inclined electric field is produced in the presence of an applied voltage, thereby orienting the liquid crystal molecules into a radially-inclined orientation by using the inclined electric field. In the liquid crystal display device of Embodiment 2, the protrusion is provided in the opening 14 a of the upper conductive layer 14 so as to stabilize the radially-inclined orientation.

[0270] Embodiment 3 is a liquid crystal display device including a further orientation-regulating structure provided on the substrate (the counter substrate in the examples described above) which is different from the substrate on which the two-layer electrode is provided (the TFT substrate in the examples described above). In the following description, an electrode structure for realizing a radially-inclined orientation by the above-described inclined electric field will be referred to as the first orientation-regulating structure, and a further orientation-regulating structure provided on the other side of the liquid crystal layer with respect to the first orientation-regulating structure will be referred to as the second orientation-regulating structure.

[0271] Next, the specific structure and function of the second orientation-regulating structure will be described. A case where the first orientation-regulating structure is provided on the TFT substrate and the second orientation-regulating structure is provided on the counter substrate will be described below in conformity with the examples illustrated above.

[0272]FIG. 29A to FIG. 29E schematically illustrate a counter substrate 200 b having a second orientation-regulating structure 28. Each element having substantially the same function as that of the liquid crystal display devices described above will be denoted by the same reference numeral and will not be further described.

[0273] The second orientation-regulating structure 28 illustrated in FIG. 29A to FIG. 29E functions to orient the liquid crystal molecules 30 a of the liquid crystal layer 30 into a radially-inclined orientation. Note that the second orientation-regulating structure 28 illustrated in FIG. 29A to FIG. 29D and that illustrated in FIG. 29E are different in terms of the direction in which the liquid crystal molecules 30 a are to be inclined.

[0274] The direction in which the liquid crystal molecules are inclined by the second orientation-regulating structure 28 illustrated in FIG. 29A to FIG. 29D is aligned with the orientation direction of the radially-inclined orientation of each liquid crystal domain which is formed by the first orientation-regulating structure in a region corresponding to the unit solid portion 14 b′ (see, for example, FIG. 11C) of the upper conductive layer 14. In contrast, the direction in which the liquid crystal molecules are inclined by the second orientation-regulating structure 28 illustrated in FIG. 29E is aligned with the orientation direction of the radially-inclined orientation of each liquid crystal domain which is formed by the first orientation-regulating structure in a region corresponding to the opening 14 a (see, for example, FIG. 11C) of the upper conductive layer 14.

[0275] The second orientation-regulating structure 28 illustrated in FIG. 29A is formed by an opening 22 a of the counter electrode 22 which is provided so as to oppose the upper conductive layer 14 (e.g., the unit solid portion 14 b′ of FIG. 15A). A vertical alignment film (not shown) is provided on one surface of the counter substrate 200 b which is closer to the liquid crystal layer 30.

[0276] The second orientation-regulating structure 28, as the first orientation-regulating structure described above, exerts an orientation-regulating force only in the presence of an applied voltage. Since the second orientation-regulating structure 28 is only required to exert an orientation-regulating force upon the liquid crystal molecules in each liquid crystal domain in a radially-inclined orientation formed by the first orientation-regulating structure, the size of the opening 22 a is smaller than the opening 14 a provided in the upper conductive layer 14, and smaller than the unit solid portion 14 b′ (see, for example, FIG. 15A) which is surrounded by the openings 14 a. For example, a sufficient effect can be obtained only with an area less than or equal to one half of that of the opening 14 a or the unit solid portion 14 b′. When the opening 22 a of the counter electrode 22 is provided so as to oppose the central portion of the unit solid portion 14 b′ of the upper conductive layer 14, the continuity of the orientation of the liquid crystal molecules increases, and it is possible to fix the position of the central axis of the radially-inclined orientation.

[0277] As described above, when a structure exerting an orientation-regulating force only in the presence of an applied voltage is employed as the second orientation-regulating structure, substantially all of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a of the liquid crystal layer 30 take a vertical alignment in the absence of an applied voltage. Therefore, when employing a normally black mode, substantially no light leakage occurs in a black display, thereby realizing a display with a desirable contrast ratio.

[0278] However, in the absence of an applied voltage, the orientation-regulating force is not exerted and thus the radially-inclined orientation is not formed. Moreover, when the applied voltage is low, there is only a weak orientation-regulating force, whereby an after image may be observed when a considerable stress is applied upon the liquid crystal panel.

[0279] Each of the second orientation-regulating structures 28 illustrated in FIG. 29B to FIG. 29D exerts an orientation-regulating force regardless of the presence/absence of an applied voltage, whereby it is possible to obtain a stable radially-inclined orientation at any display gray level, and there is provided a high resistance to a stress.

[0280] First, the second orientation-regulating structure 28 illustrated in FIG. 29B includes a protrusion 22 b which is provided on the counter electrode 22 so as to protrude into the liquid crystal layer 30. While there is no particular limitation on the material of the protrusion 22 b, the protrusion 22 b can be easily provided by using a dielectric material such as a resin. A vertical alignment film (not shown) is provided on one surface of the counter substrate 200 b which is closer to the liquid crystal layer 30. The protrusion 22 b orients the liquid crystal molecules 30 a into a radially-inclined orientation by virtue of the configuration of the surface thereof (with a vertical alignment power). It is preferred to use a resin material which deforms by heat, in which case it is possible to easily form the protrusion 22 b having a slightly-humped cross section as illustrated in FIG. 29B through a heat treatment after patterning. The protrusion 22 b having a slightly-humped cross section with a vertex (e.g., a portion of a sphere) as illustrated in the figure or a conical protrusion provides a desirable effect of fixing the central position of the radially-inclined orientation.

[0281] The second orientation-regulating structure 28 illustrated in FIG. 29C is provided as a surface having a horizontal alignment power facing the liquid crystal layer 30 which is provided in an opening (or a depressed portion) 23 a in a dielectric layer 23 formed under the counter electrode 22 (i.e., on one side of the counter electrode 22 which is closer to the substrate 21). A vertical alignment film 24 is provided so as to cover one side of the counter substrate 200 b which is closer to the liquid crystal layer 30 while leaving a region corresponding to the opening 23 a uncovered, whereby the surface in the opening 23 a functions as a horizontal alignment surface. Alternatively, a horizontal alignment film 25 may be provided only in the opening 23 a as illustrated in FIG. 29D.

[0282] The horizontal alignment film illustrated in FIG. 29D can be provided by, for example, once providing the vertical alignment film 24 across the entire surface of the counter substrate 200 b, and then selectively irradiating a portion of the vertical alignment film 24 in the opening 23 a with UV Light so as to reduce the vertical alignment power thereof. The horizontal orientation power required for the second orientation-regulating structure 28 does not have to be so high that the resulting pretilt angle is as small as that resulting from an alignment film used in a TN type liquid crystal display device. For example, a pretilt angle of 45° or less is sufficient.

[0283] As illustrated in FIG. 29C and FIG. 29D, on the horizontal orientation surface in the opening 23 a, the liquid crystal molecules 30 a are urged to be horizontal with respect to the substrate plane. As a result, the liquid crystal molecules 30 a form an orientation which is continuous with the orientation of the surrounding, vertically aligned liquid crystal molecules 30 a on the vertical alignment film 24, thereby obtaining a radially-inclined orientation as illustrated in the figure.

[0284] A radially-inclined orientation can be obtained only by selectively providing a horizontal orientation surface (e.g., the surface of the electrode, or a horizontal alignment film) on the flat surface of the counter electrode 22 without providing a depressed portion (which is formed by the opening in the dielectric layer 23) on the surface of the counter electrode 22. However, the radially-inclined orientation can be further stabilized by virtue of the surface configuration of the depressed portion.

[0285] It is preferred to use a color filter layer or an overcoat layer of a color filter layer as the dielectric layer 23, for example, to form the depressed portion in the surface of the counter substrate 200 b which is closer to the liquid crystal layer 30, because it adds nothing to the process. In the structures illustrated in FIG. 29C and FIG. 29D, there is little decrease in light efficiency because there is no region where a voltage is applied across the liquid crystal layer 30 via the protrusion 22 b as in the structure illustrated in FIG. 29A.

[0286] In the second orientation-regulating structure 28 illustrated in FIG. 29E, a depressed portion is formed on one side of the counter substrate 200 b which is closer to the liquid crystal layer 30 by using the opening 23 a of the dielectric layer 23, as in the second orientation-regulating structure 28 illustrated in FIG. 29D, and a horizontal alignment film 26 is formed only in the bottom portion of the depressed portion. Instead of forming the horizontal alignment film 26, the surface of the counter electrode 22 may be exposed as illustrated in FIG. 29C.

[0287] A liquid crystal display device 400G having the first orientation-regulating structure and the second orientation-regulating structure as described above is shown in FIG. 30A and FIG. 30B. FIG. 30A is a plan view, and FIG. 30B is a cross-sectional view taken along line 22B-22B′ of FIG. 30A.

[0288] The liquid crystal display device 400G includes the TFT substrate 400 a having the upper conductive layer 14 with the openings 14 a which includes the first orientation-regulating structure, and the counter substrate 200 b which includes the second orientation-regulating structure 28. The first orientation-regulating structure is not limited to the structure illustrated herein, but may be any other structure described above. A structure which exerts an orientation-regulating force even in the absence of an applied voltage (FIG. 29B to FIG. 29D and FIG. 29E) will be illustrated as the second orientation-regulating structure 28. Note that the first orientation-regulating structure illustrated in FIG. 29B to FIG. 29D can be replaced with that illustrated in FIG. 29A.

[0289] Among the second orientation-regulating structures 28 provided in the counter substrate 200 b of the liquid crystal display device 400G, the second orientation-regulating structure 28 provided around the center of a region opposing the solid portion 14 b of the upper conductive layer 14 is one of those illustrated in FIG. 29B to FIG. 29D, and the second orientation-regulating structure 28 provided around the center of a region opposing the opening 14 a of the upper conductive layer 14 is one illustrated in FIG. 29E.

[0290] With such an arrangement, in the presence of an applied voltage across the liquid crystal layer 30, i.e., in the presence of an applied voltage between the upper conductive layer 14 and the counter electrode 22, the direction of the radially-inclined orientation formed by the first orientation-regulating structure is aligned with the direction of the radially-inclined orientation formed by the second orientation-regulating structure 28, thereby stabilizing the radially-inclined orientation. This is schematically shown in FIG. 30A to FIG. 30C. FIG. 30A illustrates a state in the absence of an applied voltage, FIG. 30B illustrates a state where the orientation has just started to change (initial ON state) after application of a voltage, and FIG. 30C schematically illustrates a steady state during the voltage application.

[0291] As illustrated in FIG. 31A, the orientation-regulating force exerted by the second orientation-regulating structure (FIG. 29B to FIG. 29D) acts upon the liquid crystal molecules 30 a in the vicinity thereof even in the absence of an applied voltage, thereby forming a radially-inclined orientation.

[0292] When voltage application begins, an electric field represented by equipotential lines EQ shown in FIG. 31B is produced (by the first orientation-regulating structure), and a liquid crystal domain in which the liquid crystal molecules 30 a are in a radially-inclined orientation is formed in each region corresponding to the opening 14 a and each region corresponding to the solid portion 14 b, and the liquid crystal layer 30 reaches a steady state as illustrated in FIG. 31C. The inclination direction of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a in each liquid crystal domain coincides with the direction in which the liquid crystal molecules 30 a are inclined by the orientation-regulating force exerted by the second orientation-regulating structure 28 which is provided in a corresponding region.

[0293] When a stress is applied upon the liquid crystal display device 400G which is in a steady state, the radially-inclined orientation of the liquid crystal layer 30 once collapses, but upon removal of the stress, the radially-inclined orientation is restored because of the orientation-regulating forces from the first orientation-regulating structure and the second orientation-regulating structure acting upon the liquid crystal molecules 30 a. Therefore, the occurrence of an after image due to a stress is suppressed. When the orientation-regulating force from the second orientation-regulating structure 28 is excessively strong, retardation occurs even in the absence of an applied voltage due to the radially-inclined orientation, whereby the display contrast ratio may decrease. However, the orientation-regulating force from the second orientation-regulating structure 28 does not have to be strong because it is only required to have an effect of stabilizing a radially-inclined orientation formed by the first orientation-regulating structure and fixing the central axis position thereof. Therefore, an orientation-regulating force which would not cause such a degree of retardation as to deteriorate the display quality is sufficient.

[0294] For example, when the protrusion 22 b illustrated in FIG. 29B is employed, each protrusion 22 b may have a diameter of about 15 μm and a height (thickness) of about 1 μm for the unit solid portion 14 b′ having a diameter of about 30 μm to about 35 μm, thereby obtaining a sufficient orientation-regulating force and suppressing the reduction in the contrast ratio due to retardation to a practical level.

[0295]FIG. 32A and FIG. 32B illustrate another liquid crystal display device 400H including the first orientation-regulating structure and the second orientation-regulating structure. FIG. 32A is a plan view, and FIG. 32B is a cross-sectional view taken along line 32B-32B′ of FIG. 32A.

[0296] The liquid crystal display device 400H does not have the second orientation-regulating structure in a region opposing the opening 14 a of the upper conductive layer 14 of the TFT substrate 400 a. Formation of the second orientation-regulating structure 28 illustrated in FIG. 29E which should be formed in a region opposing the opening 14 a introduces difficulties into the process. Therefore, in view of the productivity, it is preferred to use only one of the second orientation-regulating structures 28 illustrated in FIG. 29A to FIG. 29D. Particularly, the second orientation-regulating structure 28 illustrated in FIG. 29B is preferred because it can be produced by a simple process.

[0297] Even if no second orientation-regulating structure is provided in a region corresponding to the opening 14 a as in the liquid crystal display device 400H, a radially-inclined orientation as that of the liquid crystal display device 400G is obtained, as schematically illustrated in FIG. 33A to FIG. 33C, and also the stress resistance thereof is at a practical level.

EMBODIMENT 4

[0298] In the liquid crystal display device of the present embodiment, the dielectric layer provided between the upper conductive layer and the lower conductive layer of the picture element electrode includes an opening (aperture) or a depressed portion in the opening of the upper conductive layer. In other words, in the two-layer picture element electrode of the liquid crystal display device of the present embodiment, the whole of a region of the dielectric layer located in the opening of the upper conductive layer is removed (thereby forming a opening therein) or a portion of such a region is removed (thereby forming a depressed portion).

[0299] First, the structure and operation of a liquid crystal display device 500 having such a picture element electrode which includes a opening in the dielectric layer will be described with reference to FIG. 34A to FIG. 34C.

[0300] In the liquid crystal display device 500, the upper conductive layer 14 of the picture element electrode 15 includes the opening 14 a, and the dielectric layer 13 provided between the lower conductive layer 12 and the upper conductive layer 14 includes an opening 13 a formed so as to correspond to the opening 14 a of the upper conductive layer 14, with the lower conductive layer 12 being exposed through the opening 13 a. The side wall of the opening 14 a of the dielectric layer 13 is typically tapered (taper angle: θ). The liquid crystal display device 500 has substantially the same structure as that of the liquid crystal display device 100 of Embodiment 1 except that the dielectric layer 13 includes the opening 13 a, and the two-layer picture element electrode 15 functions in substantially the same manner as the picture element electrode 15 of the liquid crystal display device 100, to orient the liquid crystal layer 30 into a radially-inclined orientation in the presence of an applied voltage.

[0301] The operation of the liquid crystal display device 500 will be described with reference to FIG. 34A to FIG. 34C. FIG. 34A to FIG. 34C respectively correspond to FIG. 1A to FIG. 1C illustrating the liquid crystal display device 100 of Embodiment 1.

[0302] As illustrated in FIG. 34A, the liquid crystal molecules 30 a in each picture element region are aligned vertical to the surfaces of the substrates 11 and 21 in the absence of an applied voltage (OFF-state). In the following description, the orientation-regulating force from the side wall of the opening 13 a will be ignored for the sake of simplicity.

[0303] When a voltage is applied across the liquid crystal layer 30, a potential gradient represented by equipotential lines EQ shown in FIG. 34B is produced. As can be seen from the drop of the equipotential lines EQ (creating a “trough” therein) in a region corresponding to the opening 14 a of the upper conductive layer 14, an inclined electric field is produced in the liquid crystal layer 30 of the liquid crystal display device 500 as in the potential gradient illustrated in FIG. 1B. However, since the dielectric layer 13 of the picture element electrode 15 includes the opening 13 a in a region corresponding to the opening 14 a of the upper conductive layer 14, the voltage applied across the region of the liquid crystal layer 30 corresponding to the opening 14 a (the opening 13 a) is exactly the potential difference between the lower conductive layer 12 and the counter electrode 22, and the voltage drop (capacitance division) due to the dielectric layer 13 does not occur. In other words, all of the seven equipotential lines EQ drawn in FIG. 34B between the upper conductive layer 14 and the counter electrode 22 stay between the upper conductive layer 14 and the counter electrode 22 across the entire liquid crystal layer 30 (as opposed to FIG. 1B where one of the five equipotential lines EQ is drawn into the dielectric layer 13), thereby applying a constant voltage across the entire picture element region.

[0304] Thus, by providing the opening 13 a in the dielectric layer 13, it is possible to apply the same voltage across the region of the liquid crystal layer 30 corresponding to the opening 13 a as that applied across the other regions of the liquid crystal layer 30. However, the thickness of the liquid crystal layer 30, across which a voltage is applied, varies depending upon the location in each picture element region, whereby the change in retardation in the presence of an applied voltage also varies depending upon the location. If the degree of variation is significant, the display quality may deteriorate.

[0305] In the structure illustrated in FIG. 34A to FIG. 34C, the thickness d1 of the liquid crystal layer 30 on the upper conductive layer 14 (excluding the opening 14 a) and the thickness d2 of the liquid crystal layer 30 on the lower conductive layer 12 exposed through the opening 14 a (and the opening 13 a) differ from each other by the thickness of the dielectric layer 13. When the portion of the liquid crystal layer 30 having the thickness d1 and the other portion of the liquid crystal layer 30 having the thickness d2 are driven with the same voltage range, the amount of retardation change caused by the orientation change in the liquid crystal layer 30 varies therebetween by the influence of the difference in thickness between the respective portions of the liquid crystal layer 30. When the relationship between the applied voltage and the amount of retardation of the liquid crystal layer 30 considerably varies depending upon the location, the following problem arises. That is, in a design where the display quality is given a higher priority, the transmittance is sacrificed, and when the transmittance is given a higher priority, the color temperature of the white display shifts, thereby sacrificing the display quality. Therefore, when the liquid crystal display device 500 is used as a transmission type liquid crystal display device, the thickness of the dielectric layer 13 is preferably small.

[0306] Next, a liquid crystal display device 600 in which the dielectric layer of the picture element electrode includes a depressed portion will be described with reference to FIG. 35, which shows a cross-sectional view illustrating the structure of one picture element region of the liquid crystal display device 600.

[0307] The dielectric layer 13 of the picture element electrode 15 of the liquid crystal display device 600 includes a depressed portion 13 b corresponding to the opening 14 a of the upper conductive layer 14. Other than this, the structure of the liquid crystal display device 600 is substantially the same as that of the liquid crystal display device 500 illustrated in FIG. 34A to FIG. 34C.

[0308] In the liquid crystal display device 600, a portion of the dielectric layer 13 located in the opening 14 a of the upper conductive layer 14 of the picture element electrode 15 is not completely removed, whereby the thickness d3 of a portion of the liquid crystal layer 30 located in the opening 14 a is smaller than the thickness d2 of the corresponding portion of the liquid crystal layer 30 located in the opening 14 a of the liquid crystal display device 500 by the thickness of the dielectric layer 13 in the depressed portion 13 b. Moreover, the voltage applied across the region of the liquid crystal layer 30 in the opening 14 a is subject to the voltage drop (capacitance division) due to the dielectric layer 13 in the depressed portion 13 b, and thus is lower than the voltage applied across the region of the liquid crystal layer 30 on the upper conductive layer (the region thereof excluding the opening 14 a). Therefore, by adjusting the thickness of the dielectric layer 13 in the depressed portion 13 b, it is possible to control the relationship between the variations in retardation amount due to the difference in thickness of the liquid crystal layer 30 and the variations in the applied voltage across the liquid crystal layer 30 depending upon the location (the amount of decrease in the voltage applied across the liquid crystal layer in the opening 14 a), so as to ensure that the relationship between the applied voltage and the retardation does not depend upon the location in the picture element region. More strictly, the relationship between the applied voltage and the retardation can be controlled to be uniform across the picture element region, thereby realizing a high-quality display, by adjusting the birefringence of the liquid crystal layer, thickness of the liquid crystal layer, the dielectric constant and the thickness of the dielectric layer, and the thickness (or depth) of the depressed portion of the dielectric layer. Particularly, as compared to a transmission type liquid crystal display device having a flat-surface dielectric layer, there is an advantage that the decrease in transmittance due to a decrease in the voltage applied across the region of the liquid crystal layer 30 corresponding to the opening 14 a of the upper conductive layer 14 (the decrease in the light efficiency) is suppressed.

[0309] In the above description, the same voltage is applied to the upper conductive layer 14 and the lower conductive layer 12 of the picture element electrode 15. When different voltages are applied to the lower conductive layer 12 and the upper conductive layer 14, it is possible to increase the variety of structures of liquid crystal display devices capable of displaying an image without display non-uniformity. For example, in the structure where the dielectric layer 13 is provided in the opening 13 a of the upper conductive layer 14, a voltage lower than the voltage applied to the upper conductive layer 14 by the voltage drop due to the dielectric layer 13 is applied to the lower conductive layer 12, whereby it is possible to prevent the voltage applied across the liquid crystal layer 30 from varying depending upon the location in the picture element region.

[0310] In the liquid crystal display device 500 and the liquid crystal display device 600 of Embodiment 4, as in the liquid crystal display device 100 of Embodiment 1, the liquid crystal molecules 30 a incline, starting from those at the edge portion of the opening 14 a, by the function of the inclined electric field produced by the two-layer picture element electrode 15 including the upper conductive layer 14 having the opening 14 a, whereby the liquid crystal layer 30 in each picture element region takes a radially-inclined orientation about the opening 14 a. The formation of a radially-inclined orientation will not be further described below.

[0311] The structure of the picture element electrode of the liquid crystal display device of the present embodiment will be described in greater detail with reference to FIG. 36A and FIG. 36B. Each of FIG. 36A and FIG. 36B is an enlarged cross-sectional view schematically illustrating a structure around the picture element electrode. FIG. 36A illustrates the structure of a picture element electrode where the upper conductive layer 14 is not formed on the side wall of the opening 13 a of the dielectric layer 13, and FIG. 36B illustrates the structure of another picture element electrode where the upper conductive layer 14 is formed on the side wall of the opening 13 a of the dielectric layer 13.

[0312] The liquid crystal display device 500 and the liquid crystal display device 600 respectively illustrated in FIG. 34A to FIG. 34C and FIG. 35 both have the structure as illustrated in FIG. 36A. The picture element electrode structure illustrated in FIG. 36A is preferred over that illustrated in FIG. 36B for the following reason. In the picture element electrode structure illustrated in FIG. 36A, the inclined electric field produced at the edge portion of the opening 14 a of the upper conductive layer 14 is more inclined (with a larger inclination angle), whereby the liquid crystal molecules 30 a in the vicinity of the edge portion can be more stably inclined (in a uniquely defined direction). As can be seen from the equipotential lines EQ shown in FIG. 36A, since a portion of the equipotential lines EQ in the opening 14 a is drawn into the side wall of the opening 13 a of the dielectric layer 13, the degree of inclination of the equipotential lines EQ at the edge portion of the opening 14 a is greater than the inclination of the side wall. Thus, the liquid crystal molecules 30 a whose orientation is regulated vertical to the surface of the side wall of the opening 13 a (on the vertical alignment film (not shown) formed on the side surface) can be inclined in a uniquely defined direction (the counterclockwise direction in the illustrated example). Moreover, as can be seen from FIG. 36A, it is preferred that the inclination angle θ of the side wall is small so that the liquid crystal molecules 30 a on the side wall of the opening 13 a are inclined (rotated) in a uniquely defined direction by the inclined electric field.

[0313] In contrast, when the upper conductive layer 14 is formed on the side wall of the opening 13 a of the dielectric layer 13, the equipotential lines EQ are parallel to the surface of the upper conductive layer 14 on the side wall as shown in FIG. 36B, whereby the inclination of the equipotential lines EQ at the edge portion of the opening 14 a is less steep than the inclination of the side wall. Therefore, the equipotential lines EQ are perpendicular to the liquid crystal molecules 30 a whose orientation is regulated to be vertical to the surface of the side wall of the opening 13 a of the dielectric layer 13 (the vertical alignment film (not shown) formed on the upper conductive layer), whereby the direction in which the liquid crystal molecules 30 a incline may not be uniquely defined. A portion of the upper conductive layer 14 may overlap a portion of the lower conductive layer 12 so as to electrically connect the upper conductive layer 14 to the lower conductive layer 12. In such a case, it is no longer necessary to separately provide contact holes for electrically connecting the upper conductive layer 14 to the lower conductive layer 12. In this way, the aperture ratio can be improved particularly in a reflection type liquid crystal display device in which the upper conductive layer 14 formed on the flat surface (upper surface) of the dielectric layer 13 is used as a reflection electrode (reflection layer).

[0314] The above description of the structure where the dielectric layer 13 includes the opening 13 a also applies to the structure where the dielectric layer 13 includes the depressed portion 13 b.

[0315] A liquid crystal display device including a picture element electrode in which the upper conductive layer 14 includes one opening 14 a for each picture element region has been described above as the liquid crystal display device of the present embodiment. However, the present embodiment is not limited to the above-described example, but may also be applied to a liquid crystal display device having a plurality of openings 14 a for each picture element region. The above-described structure where the opening 13 a or the depressed portion 13 b is formed in the dielectric layer 13 corresponding to the opening 14 a of the upper conductive layer 14 can be applied to any of the liquid crystal display devices described above in Embodiment 1.

EMBODIMENT 5

[0316]FIG. 37A and FIG. 37B schematically illustrate one picture element region of a liquid crystal display device 700 of Embodiment 5. FIG. 37A is across-sectional view of the liquid crystal display device 700, and FIG. 37B is a plan view of the liquid crystal display device 700. FIG. 37A is a cross-sectional view taken along line 37A-37A′ of FIG. 37B. The structure of the liquid crystal display device 700 is substantially the same as that of the liquid crystal display device 500 of Embodiment 4 except that the lower conductive layer 12 further includes an opening 12 a, and thus the common elements will not be further described below.

[0317] The lower conductive layer of the picture element electrode 15 of the liquid crystal display device 700 includes the opening 12 a in a region of the dielectric layer 13 which is exposed through the opening 13 a. As illustrated in FIG. 37B, the circular opening 13 a of the dielectric layer 13 is provided at the center of the picture element region, i.e., in a position corresponding to the circular opening 14 a which is provided in the central portion of the upper conductive layer 14. The opening 12 a which is provided in the portion of the lower conductive layer 12 exposed through the opening 13 a of the dielectric layer 13 is located at the center of the opening 14 a and the opening 13 a.

[0318] When a voltage is applied through the liquid crystal layer 30 of the liquid crystal display device 700, an electric field represented by the equipotential lines EQ shown in FIG. 37A is produced. The equipotential lines EQ once drop at the edge portion EG of the opening 14 a of the upper conductive layer 14 and further drop in the opening 12 a of the lower conductive layer 12.

[0319] Since an inclined electric field is also formed at the edge portion of the opening 12 a of the lower conductive layer 12, the orientation change of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a in the liquid crystal layer 30 across which a voltage is applied occurs with the inclination of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a at the edge portion of the opening 14 a and at the edge portion of the opening 12 a serving as a trigger, thereby forming a radially-inclined orientation about the liquid crystal molecules 30 a which are vertically oriented at the center of the opening 12 a. Thus, by providing the opening 12 a at the center of the lower conductive layer 12 opposing the opening 14 a, in addition to providing the opening 14 a of the upper conductive layer 14, the position of the radially-inclined orientation of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a in the opening 14 a can be accurately and stably controlled, whereby it is possible to further stabilize the radially-inclined orientation and improve the response speed.

[0320] Since no voltage is applied across the region of the liquid crystal layer 30 corresponding to the opening 12 a, it is preferred that the opening 12 a is not large. Typically, the diameter of the opening 12 a is preferably about 8 μm or less. Since the opening 12 a is only required to be provided at the center of the radially-inclined orientation, only one opening 12 a at the center of each opening 14 a is sufficient. As described above with respect to the opening 14 a, the shape of the opening 12 a is not limited to a circle and may alternatively be an ellipse or a polygon.

[0321] The function of the opening 12 a has been described above with respect to the structure where the opening 13 a is provided in the dielectric layer 13. The opening 12 a may alternatively be used with the structure where the depressed portion 13 b is provided in the dielectric layer 13 (FIG. 35) or the structure where the flat dielectric layer 13 is used (e.g., FIG. 1A to FIG. 1C). Thus, the structure where the lower conductive layer 12 of the picture element electrode 15 includes the opening 12 a in a region opposing the opening 14 a of the upper conductive layer 14, which has been described above with respect to the liquid crystal display device 700, can be suitably used in combination with any of the above-described liquid crystal display devices of Embodiments 1 and 2. However, since the opening 12 a is small (typically, with a diameter of 8 μm or less), a sufficient effect may not be obtained when the dielectric layer 13 above the opening 12 a is thick.

APPLICATION TO TRANSMISSION-REFLECTION TYPE LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY DEVICE

[0322] A transmission-reflection type liquid crystal display device (hereinafter, referred to simply as a “two-way liquid crystal display device”) refers to a liquid crystal display device which includes, in each picture element region, a transmission region displaying an image in a transmission mode and a reflection region displaying an image in a reflection mode. Typically, the transmission region and the reflection region are defined respectively by a transparent electrode and a reflection electrode. The reflection region can be defined by a structure using a combination of a reflection layer and a transparent electrode instead of the reflection electrode.

[0323] In the two-way liquid crystal display device, an image can be displayed in either the reflection mode or the transmission mode which can be switched from one to another, or an image can be displayed in both display modes at the same time. Therefore, for example, the reflection mode display can be used under an environment with bright ambient light, and the transmission mode display can be used under a dark environment. When both of these display modes are used at the same time, it is possible to suppress the decrease in the contrast ratio which is observed when a transmission mode liquid crystal display device is used under an environment with a bright ambient light (a state where light from a fluorescent lamp or sun light is directly incident upon the display plane at a certain angle). Thus, the two-way liquid crystal display device can compensate for the drawback of a transmission type liquid crystal display device. The ratio between the area of the transmission region and that of the reflection region can be suitably determined according to the application of the liquid crystal display device. For a liquid crystal display device which is used exclusively as a transmission type display device, the area ratio of the reflection region can be reduced to such a degree that an image cannot be displayed in a reflection mode, and it is still possible to compensate for the drawback of a transmission type liquid crystal display device described above.

[0324] The structure and operation of a two-way liquid crystal display device will now be described with reference to FIG. 38A, FIG. 38B and FIG. 38C. Two-way liquid crystal display devices 150, 550 and 650, respectively illustrated in FIG. 38A, FIG. 38B and FIG. 38C, have structures which are basically the same as those of the liquid crystal display device 100 of Embodiment 1, the liquid crystal display device 500 of Embodiment 4, and the liquid crystal display device 600 of Embodiment 4, respectively. The two-way liquid crystal display device is not limited to these illustrated examples. An alternative two-way liquid crystal display device can be obtained by employing any other liquid crystal display device described above in Embodiment 1, 2 and 3, while providing one of the upper electrode layer and the lower electrode layer as a transparent conductive layer and the other as a reflection conductive layer.

[0325] In the two-way liquid crystal display device 150 illustrated in FIG. 38A, an upper conductive layer 14T of the picture element electrode 15 is made of a transparent: conductive layer, and a lower conductive layer 12R is made of a conductive layer having a light-reflecting property (typically, a metal layer). Each picture element region defined by the picture element electrode 15 includes a reflection region R defined by the reflective lower conductive layer 12R and a transmission region T defined by the transparent upper conductive layer 14T. In view of the overlap between the transparent upper conductive layer 14T and the reflective lower conductive layer 12R and the contribution to the display of light which is incident upon the device in an inclined direction with respect to the substrate normal (the direction normal to the display plane), the reflection region R and the transmission region T overlap each other in the vicinity of the boundary therebetween. However, for the sake of simplicity, these regions are shown to be separate from each other, assuming a display mode such that light is incident in the substrate normal.

[0326] The basic structure of the two-way liquid crystal display device 150 is the same as that of the liquid crystal display device 100, and therefore the liquid crystal layer thereof is driven substantially in the same manner as that of the liquid crystal display device 100. Specifically, the liquid crystal layer 30 takes a stable radially-inclined orientation in the presence of an applied voltage by the function of the two-layer picture element electrode 15, thereby realizing a liquid crystal display device having a desirable viewing angle characteristic.

[0327] The display operation of the two-way liquid crystal display device 150 will now be described.

[0328] When the two-way liquid crystal display device 150 is in a white display, light which is incident upon the transmission region T from a backlight (not shown) provided on the outer side (the lower side of the figure) of the TFT substrate 100 a passes successively through the substrate 11, the dielectric layer 13, and the transparent upper conductive layer 14T and is emitted to the counter substrate 100 b side via the liquid crystal layer 30. The light coming from the counter substrate 100 b side (typically, the ambient light) successively passes through the substrate 21, the counter electrode 22, the liquid crystal layer 30 and the dielectric layer 13, and is incident upon the reflective lower conductive layer 12R, by which it is reflected. The reflected light passes along the same path in the opposite direction and is emitted to the counter substrate 100 b side.

[0329] Thus, light contributing to the display in a transmission mode passes through the liquid crystal layer 30 only once, whereas light contributing to the display in a reflection mode passes therethrough twice. Therefore, when the same voltage is applied across the liquid crystal layer 30 which has a uniform thickness (d5) across the entire picture element region (the transmission region T and the reflection region R), the amount of change in the retardation due to the liquid crystal layer 30 which is experienced by the transmitted light and that experienced by the reflected light do not coincide with each other. As a result, in the presence of an applied voltage across the liquid crystal layer 30, the same gray level cannot be produced at the same time by the transmitted light and the reflected light, thereby deteriorating the display quality.

[0330] However, the above-described problem can be avoided with the two-way liquid crystal display device 150 of the present invention, as will be described below.

[0331] Since the two-way liquid crystal display device 150 includes the two-layer picture element electrode 15, the voltage applied across the reflection region R of the liquid crystal layer 30 (the voltage between the reflective lower conductive layer 12R and the counter electrode 22) is lower than the voltage applied across the transmission region T of the liquid crystal layer 30 (the voltage between the transparent upper conductive layer 14T and the counter electrode 22) by the influence of the voltage drop due to the dielectric layer 13 as described above with respect to the liquid crystal display device of Embodiment 1. As a result, the amount of change in the retardation due to the liquid crystal layer 30 in the reflection region R is less than the amount of change in the retardation due to the liquid crystal layer 30 in the transmission region T. Therefore, the amount of change in the retardation due to the liquid crystal layer 30 in the transmission region T and the amount of change in the retardation due to the liquid crystal layer 30 in the reflection region R can be brought closer to each other by adjusting the birefringence and thickness of the liquid crystal layer 30 and the dielectric constant and thickness of the dielectric layer 13. In other words, the influence of the optical path length on the retardation of the reflected light can be compensated for by adjusting the applied voltage.

[0332] As described above, when the two-way liquid crystal display device 150 of the present invention is used, the voltage-transmittance characteristics in the transmission mode and the voltage-reflectance characteristics in the reflection mode can be brought closer to each other. Thus, it is possible to obtain a transmission-reflection type liquid crystal display device having a desirable viewing angle characteristic in all azimuthal angles and a high visibility in any environment.

[0333] Next, the structure and operation of the two-way liquid crystal display device 550 will be described with reference to FIG. 38B. The picture element electrode 15 of the two-way liquid crystal display device 550 includes an upper conductive layer 14R which is made of a conductive layer having a light-reflecting property and a lower conductive layer 12T which is made of a transparent conductive layer. Each picture element region defined by the picture element electrode 15 includes a reflection region R defined by the reflective upper conductive layer 14R and a transmission region T defined by the transparent lower conductive layer 12T. Other than this, the basic structure of the two-way liquid crystal display device 550 is as that of the liquid crystal display device 500 illustrated in FIG. 34A to FIG. 34C, and thus will not be further described below.

[0334] The thickness of the liquid crystal layer 30 in the region other than the opening 14 a of the reflective upper conductive layer 14R of the two-way liquid crystal display device 550 (i.e., in the reflection region R) will be denoted as d1, and the thickness of the liquid crystal layer 30 in the opening 14 a of the reflective upper conductive layer 14R and the opening 13 a of the dielectric layer 13 (i.e., in the transmission region T) will be denoted as d2. Light which contributes to the reflection mode display (the reflected light) passes twice through the liquid crystal layer 30 in the reflection region R having the thickness d1. Light which contributes to the transmission mode display (the transmitted light) passes once through the liquid crystal layer 30 in the transmission region T having the thickness d2. Therefore, when the dielectric layer 13 is designed so as to have a thickness equal to d1, then, d1=d2/2. Thus, the total distance which the reflected light travels through the liquid crystal layer 30 can be matched with the distance the transmitted light travels through the liquid crystal layer 30. Since the picture element electrode 15 of the two-way liquid crystal display device 550 has a structure where the transparent lower conductive layer 12T is exposed in the opening 13 a of the dielectric layer 13 (a structure where no dielectric layer 13 exists on the transparent lower conductive layer 12T), the voltage applied across the liquid crystal layer 30 in the transmission region T is equal to the voltage applied across the liquid crystal layer 30 in the reflection region R.

[0335] Therefore, when the thickness d1 of the liquid crystal layer 30 in the reflection region R and the thickness d2 of the liquid crystal layer 30 in the transmission region T satisfy the relationship of 2·d1=d2, the amount of change in the retardation due to the liquid crystal layer 30 which is experienced by the transmitted light and that experienced by the reflected light do coincide with each other in the presence of the same applied voltage across the reflective lower conductive layer 12R and the transparent upper conductive layer 14T. However, when the thickness of the liquid crystal layer 30 in the reflection region R is different from that in the transmission region T, the strength of the electric field produced may differ between these regions for the same applied voltage. Therefore, it is more preferred that the relationship between d1 and d2 is shifted from 2·d1=d2 in view of the difference in electric field strength.

[0336] As described above, when the two-way liquid crystal display device 550 of the present invention is used, the voltage-transmittance characteristics in the transmission mode and the voltage-reflectance characteristics in the reflection mode can be brought closer to each other. Thus, it is possible to obtain a transmission-reflection type liquid crystal display device having a desirable viewing angle characteristic in all azimuthal angles and a high visibility in any environment.

[0337] Next, the structure and operation of the two-way liquid crystal display device 650 will be described with reference to FIG. 38C. The picture element electrode 15 of the two-way liquid crystal display device 650 includes the upper conductive layer 14R which is made of a conductive layer having a light-reflecting property and the lower conductive layer 12T which is made of a transparent conductive layer. Each picture element region defined by the picture element electrode 15 includes a reflection region R defined by the reflective upper conductive layer 14R and a transmission region T defined by the transparent lower conductive layer 12T. Other than this, the basic structure of the two-way liquid crystal display device 650 is as that of the liquid crystal display device 600 illustrated in FIG. 35, and thus will not be further described below.

[0338] The thickness of the liquid crystal layer 30 in the region other than the opening 14 a of the reflective upper conductive layer 14R of the two-way liquid crystal display device 650 (i.e., in the reflection region R) will be denoted as d1, and the thickness of the liquid crystal layer 30 in the opening 14 a of the reflective upper conductive layer 14R and the depressed portion 13 b of the dielectric layer 13 (i.e., in the transmission region T) will be denoted as d3. The thickness d3 of the liquid crystal layer 30 in the transmission region T is greater than the thickness d1 of the liquid crystal layer 30 in the reflection region R by the depth of the depressed portion 13 b of the dielectric layer 13. Light which contributes to the reflection mode display (the reflected light) passes twice through the liquid crystal layer 30 in the reflection region R having the thickness d1. Light which contributes to the transmission mode display (the transmitted light) passes once through the liquid crystal layer 30 in the transmission region T having the thickness d3. Thus, the distance the transmitted light travels through the liquid crystal layer 30 is d3, and the distance the reflected light travels through the liquid crystal layer 30 is 2·d1.

[0339] The voltage applied across the liquid crystal layer 30 in the transmission region T is subject to a voltage drop (capacitance division) due to the dielectric layer 13 in the depressed portion 13 b, and thus is lower than the voltage applied across the liquid crystal layer 30 in the reflection region R. Therefore, by adjusting the thickness of the dielectric layer 13 in the depressed portion 13 b, it is possible to control the relationship between the variations in retardation amount due to the difference in the distance light travels through the liquid crystal layer 30 and the variations in the applied voltage across the liquid crystal layer 30 depending upon the location (the amount of decrease in the voltage applied across the liquid crystal layer 30 in the transmission region T), so that the relationship between the applied voltage and the retardation in the transmission region T is matched with that in the reflection region R. More strictly, the relationship between the applied voltage and the retardation can be controlled to be uniform across the transmission region and the reflection region, by adjusting the birefringence of the liquid crystal layer, thickness of the liquid crystal layer, the dielectric constant and the thickness of the dielectric layer, and the thickness (or depth) of the depressed portion of the dielectric layer.

[0340] As described above, when the two-way liquid crystal display device 650 of the present invention is used, the voltage-transmittance characteristics in the transmission mode and the voltage-reflectance characteristics in the reflection mode can be brought closer to each other. Thus, it is possible to obtain a transmission-reflection type liquid crystal display device having a desirable viewing angle characteristic in all azimuthal angles and a high visibility in any environment.

[0341] In FIG. 38A, FIG. 38B and FIG. 38C illustrating the two-way liquid crystal display devices 150, 550 and 650, respectively, the surface of the reflective conductive layer (upper or lower conductive layer) is shown to be flat. Alternatively, the surface of the reflective conductive layer may be processed into a configuration with concave/convex portions, thereby providing a function of diffuse-reflecting (or scattering) light. By providing the reflective conductive layer with the light-diffusing function, it is possible to realize a reflection mode display with no parallax and with a high display quality.

[0342] A method for providing the surface of the reflective conductive layer with concave/convex portions may be, for example, the method disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 6-75238.

[0343] For example, the dielectric layer 13 is formed by using a photoresist (of either a negative or positive type), and the surface of the resist layer is processed into a configuration with concave/convex portions through a photolithography process using a photomask having a predetermined pattern of light-transmitting portions (or light-blocking portions). As necessary, the resist layer having the concave/convex portions formed thereon may be heated so as to smoothen the concave/convex portions (into a continuous wavy configuration) through a phenomenon of the surface of the resist layer being deformed by heat (thermal deformation). By forming a reflective upper conductive layer on the surface of the dielectric layer 13 having the concave/convex portions formed thereon, it is possible to form concave/convex portions on the surface of the reflective upper conductive layer.

[0344] However, when using the reflective upper conductive layer 14R as in the two-way liquid crystal display devices 550 and 650 illustrated in FIG. 38B and FIG. 38C, it is preferred that the height of the dielectric layer 13 at the edge portion of the opening 14 a is uniform as illustrated in FIG. 40A and FIG. 40B.

[0345] In the liquid crystal display device of the present invention, the liquid crystal molecules are oriented in a radially-inclined orientation by utilizing an inclined electric field which is produced at the edge portion of the opening 14 a by the two-layer picture element electrode 15 including the reflective upper conductive layer 14R having the opening 14 a.

[0346] However, if the concave/convex portions formed on the surface of the dielectric layer 13 (in the figure, each circle schematically illustrates a concave portion or a convex portion) are arranged to overlap the opening 13 a or the depressed portion 13 b of the dielectric layer 13, as illustrated in FIG. 39A, the thickness of the dielectric layer 13 at the edge portion of the opening 14 a varies depending upon the location as illustrated in FIG. 39B. If the concave/convex portions exist on the surface of the dielectric layer 13 at the edge portion, the direction of the inclined electric field produced at the edge portion (the inclination direction of the equipotential line) varies depending upon the location, whereby the stability of the radially-inclined orientation about the opening 14 a may decrease, or the state of the radially-inclined orientation may vary depending upon the location of the opening 14 a.

[0347] In view of this, the surface of the dielectric layer 13 around the opening 14 a (the opening 13 a or the depressed portion 13 b of the dielectric layer 13) may be made flat without providing the concave/convex portions, as illustrated in FIG. 40A, it is possible to obtain a structure where the dielectric layer 13 in the vicinity of the edge portion has a uniform thickness along the entire periphery of the opening 14 a, as illustrated in FIG. 40B.

[0348] Instead of providing the reflective conductive layer with a light-diffusing function by processing the surface of the reflective conductive layer into a configuration with concave/convex portions, a diffusion layer having a light-diffusing function may be provided on the light-receiving side of the reflective conductive layer. The diffusion layer may be provided either on the inner side of the liquid crystal panel (one side of the substrate which is closer to the liquid crystal layer) or on the outer side (the viewer side). It is preferred that the diffusion layer is provided selectively in the reflection region of the liquid crystal display device.

ARRANGEMENT OF POLARIZING PLATE AND PHASE PLATE

[0349] A so-called “vertical alignment type liquid crystal display device”, including a liquid crystal layer in which liquid crystal molecules having a negative dielectric anisotropy are vertically aligned in the absence of an applied voltage, is capable of displaying an image in various display modes. Among others, the birefringence mode, in which an image is displayed by controlling the birefringence of the liquid crystal layer with an electric field, is preferred in terms of the display quality. The arrangement of polarizing plates and phase plates (wave plates) for improving the display quality of a birefringence-mode vertical alignment type liquid crystal display device will now be described. It is possible to obtain a birefringence-mode liquid crystal display device by providing a pair of polarizing plates on the outer side (the side away from the liquid crystal layer 30) of the pair of substrates (e.g., the TFT substrate and the counter substrate) of any of the liquid crystal display devices described above in Embodiments 1 to 5.

[0350] First, the arrangement of polarizing plates will be described with reference to FIG. 41A, FIG. 41B, FIG. 42A and FIG. 42B. FIG. 41A and FIG. 41B illustrate a state in the absence of an applied voltage (OFF state), and FIG. 42A and FIG. 42B illustrate a state in the presence of an applied voltage (ON state).

[0351]FIG. 41A is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating a liquid crystal display device 100A including polarizing plates 50 a and 50 b on the outer side of the TFT substrate 100 a and counter substrate 100 b, respectively. The liquid crystal display device 100A may be any of the liquid crystal display devices of Embodiments 1 to 5. The liquid crystal molecules 30 a in the liquid crystal layer 30 are in a vertical alignment in the absence of an applied voltage, as illustrated in FIG. 41A.

[0352]FIG. 41B schematically illustrates the arrangement of the respective transmission axes (polarization axes) PA of the polarizing plates 50 a and 50 b as the liquid crystal display device 100A is viewed in the direction normal to the display plane (substrate normal) from the counter substrate 100 b side (the viewer side). The solid line arrow in the figure denotes the transmission axis PA1 of the (upper) polarizing plate 50 b, and the broken line arrow denotes the transmission axis PA2 of the (lower)polarizing plate 50 a. As illustrated in FIG. 41B, the transmission axes PA2 and PA1 of the polarizing plates 50 a and 50 b are arranged so as to be perpendicular to each other. In other words, the polarizing plates 50 a and 50 b are arranged in a crossed-Nicols state.

[0353] Since the axial orientation of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a of the liquid crystal layer 30 in the absence of an applied voltage is vertical to the display plane, the liquid crystal molecules 30 a do not give a phase difference to polarized light which is vertically incident upon the liquid crystal layer 30. The phrase “vertical to the liquid crystal layer 30” as used herein refers to being vertical to the plane of the liquid crystal layer 30 which is parallel to the substrates 100 a and 100 b.

[0354] The liquid crystal layer 30 in a vertical alignment does not give a phase difference to the polarized light which is vertically incident upon the liquid crystal layer 30. Therefore, for example, the light which is vertically incident upon the liquid crystal layer 30 from the TFT substrate 100 a side becomes linearly-polarized light having a polarization direction along the transmission axis PA2 as it passes through the polarizing plate 50 a, and is vertically incident upon the liquid crystal layer 30. Thus, the light passes through the liquid crystal layer 30 while maintaining its polarization direction and is incident upon the polarizing plate 50 b. Since the transmission axes PA2 and PA1 of the polarizing plate 50 a and the polarizing plate 50 b are perpendicular to each other, the linearly-polarized light having passed through the counter substrate 100 b is absorbed by the polarizing plate 50 b. As a result, the liquid crystal display device 100A produces a black display in the absence of an applied voltage.

[0355] In the presence of an applied voltage, the liquid crystal molecules 30 a are in a radially-inclined orientation as illustrated in FIG. 42A and FIG. 42B. While only one radially-inclined orientation region is shown in FIG. 42A and FIG. 42B for the sake of simplicity, a plurality of radially-inclined orientation regions may be formed in each picture element region as described above in Embodiments 1 to 5. This also applies to other subsequent figures.

[0356] The liquid crystal layer 30 including the liquid crystal molecules 30 a in a radially-inclined orientation produces a display as follows. For example, light which is vertically incident upon the liquid crystal layer 30 from the TFT substrate 100 a side becomes linearly-polarized light having a polarization direction along the transmission axis PA2 as it passes through the polarizing plate 50 a, and is vertically incident upon the liquid crystal layer 30. The liquid crystal molecules 30 a which are oriented so that the axial orientation thereof as viewed in the substrate normal direction is parallel or perpendicular to the polarization direction of the linearly-polarized light and the liquid crystal molecules 30 a which are in a vertical alignment (the liquid crystal molecules which are located at the center of the radially-inclined orientation) do not give a phase difference to the linearly-polarized light which is vertically incident upon the liquid crystal layer 30. Therefore, linearly-polarized light incident upon a region where the liquid crystal molecules 30 a have such an orientation direction passes through the liquid crystal layer 30 while maintaining its polarization direction, and is incident upon the polarizing plate 50 b through the counter substrate 100 b. Since the transmission axes PA2 and PA1 of the polarizing plate 50 a and the polarizing plate 50 b are perpendicular to each other, the linearly-polarized light is absorbed by the polarizing plate 50 b. As a result, a portion of the radially-inclined orientation region of the liquid crystal layer 30 produces a black display even in the presence of an applied voltage.

[0357] On the other hand, another portion of the linearly-polarized light (having a polarization direction parallel to the transmission axis PA2 of the polarizing plate 50 a) which is incident upon a region including other liquid crystal molecules 30 a (the liquid crystal molecules other than those whose axial orientation as viewed in the substrate normal direction is parallel or perpendicular to the polarization direction of the linearly-polarized light and those which are in a vertical alignment) is given a phase difference by the liquid crystal layer 30. Thus, the linear polarization collapses and the linearly-polarized light becomes elliptically-polarized light. The phase difference is maximum in a region where the polarization direction of the incident linearly-polarized light and the axial orientation of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a as viewed in the substrate normal direction make an angle of 45°, and gradually decreases as the axial orientation of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a as viewed in the substrate normal direction becomes more parallel or perpendicular to the polarization direction of the incident linearly-polarized light. Therefore, in a region where the molecular axis of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a is not parallel to the substrate normal direction and where the axial orientation of the liquid crystal molecules 30 a as viewed in the substrate normal direction is not parallel or perpendicular to the polarization direction of the incident linearly-polarized light, the linearly-polarized light incident upon the liquid crystal layer 30 is given a phase difference, whereby the linear polarization thereof collapses (typically, such light becomes elliptically-polarized light). Therefore, when polarized light whose polarization has been converted to another through the liquid crystal layer 30 is incident upon the polarizing plate 50 b, a portion of such light is transmitted through the polarizing plate 50 b. The amount of the polarized light to be transmitted depends upon the magnitude of the phase difference given by the liquid crystal layer 30, and thus can be adjusted by controlling the voltage to be applied across the liquid crystal layer 30. Thus, a gray-scale display can be produced by controlling the voltage to be applied across the liquid crystal layer 30.

[0358] λ/4 PLATE

[0359] The display quality can be further improved by providing a quarter-wave plate (λ/4 Plate) between the liquid crystal layer and at least one of the pair of polarizing plates provided on opposing sides of the liquid crystal layer. Specifically, the light efficiency can be increased by an arrangement such that circularly-polarized light is incident upon the liquid crystal layer 30 exhibiting a radially-inclined orientation. For example, in the liquid crystal display device disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 10-301114, in which linearly-polarized light is incident upon the vertical alignment type liquid crystal layer of a 4-division multi-domain orientation, the boundary region between adjacent domains of the multi-domain orientation cannot contribute to the display. In contrast, with a structure where circularly-polarized light is incident upon a liquid crystal layer exhibiting a radially-inclined orientation through which the orientation direction changes continuously, it is possible to realize a liquid crystal display device having a higher brightness (higher light efficiency).

[0360] The function of a λ/4 plate will be described with reference to FIG. 43A, FIG. 43B, FIG. 44A and FIG. 44B. FIG. 43A and FIG. 43B schematically illustrate a state in the absence of an applied voltage, and FIG. 44A and FIG. 44B schematically illustrate a state in the presence of an applied voltage. In this specification, unless otherwise noted, the term “λ/4 plate” refers to a single layer λ/4 plate, and a phase plate which is made of a plurality of phase plates laminated together and which as a whole satisfies the λ/4 conditions will be referred to particularly as a “broadband λ/4 plate”. In the following description, a structure using a single-layer λ/4 plate will be described.

[0361] A liquid crystal display device 100B illustrated in FIG. 43A, FIG. 43B, FIG. 44A and FIG. 44B uses the liquid crystal display device 100, and further includes the polarizing plates 50 a and 50 b and λ/4 plates 60 a and 60 b provided on the opposing sides thereof. Each of the λ/4 plates 60 a and 60 b is a phase plate which converts linearly-polarized light whose polarization direction is 45° with respect to the slow axis thereof into circularly-polarized light, or vice versa. Any of the liquid crystal display devices described above in Embodiments 1 to 5 may be used instead of the liquid crystal display device 100.

[0362] The liquid crystal display device 100B includes the λ/4 plate 60 a between the TFT substrate 100 a and the polarizing plate 50 a which is provided on the outer side (the side away from the liquid crystal layer 30) of the TFT substrate 100 a, and the λ/4 plate 60 b between the counter substrate 100 b and the polarizing plate 50 b which is provided on the outer side of the counter substrate 100 b. The respective transmission axes PA2 and PA1 of the polarizing plates 50 a and 50 b and respective slow axes SL2 and SL1 of the λ/4 plates 60 a and 60 b are arranged as illustrated in FIG. 43B.

[0363] The slow axis SL2 of the λ/4 plate 60 a is at an angle of 45° with respect to the transmission axis PA2 of the polarizing plate 50 a, and the slow axis SL1 of the λ/4 plate 60 b is at an angle of 45° with respect to the transmission axis PA1 of the polarizing plate 50 b. The respective transmission axes PA1 and PA2 and the slow axes SL1 and SL2 are arranged so that each pair of axes form an angle of 45° in the same direction (for example, as viewed in the substrate normal direction from the counter substrate 100 b side, the slow axes SL1 and SL2 are 45° away from the respective transmission axes PA1 and PA2 both in the clockwise direction, as illustrated in the figure, or both in the counterclockwise direction).

[0364] The liquid crystal layer 30 is in a vertical alignment in the absence of an applied voltage, as illustrated in FIG. 43A, and thus does not give a phase difference to light which is vertically incident upon the liquid crystal layer 30. Therefore, for example, light which is vertically incident upon the liquid crystal layer 30 from the TFT substrate 10 a side passes through the polarizing plate 50 a, becomes linearly-polarized light whose polarization direction is 45° with respect to the slow axis SL2 of the λ/4 plate 60 a, and is incident upon the λ/4 plate 60 a. The linearly-polarized light is converted into circularly-polarized light as it passes through the λ/4 plate 60 a. The circularly-polarized light passes through the liquid crystal layer 30 while maintaining its polarization, and is incident upon the λ/4 plate 60 b. The circularly-polarized light becomes linearly-polarized light whose polarization direction is 45° with respect to the slow axis SL1 as it passes through the λ/4 plate 60 b, and is incident upon the polarizing plate 50 b. The polarization direction of the linearly-polarized light having passed through the λ/4 plate 60 b is perpendicular to the transmission axis PA1 of the polarizing plate 50 b. Therefore, the linearly-polarized light is absorbed by the polarizing plate 50 b. Thus, the liquid crystal display device 100B produces a black display in the absence of an applied voltage.

[0365] In the presence of an applied voltage, the liquid crystal molecules 30 a are in a radially-inclined orientation as illustrated in FIG. 44A and FIG. 44B.

[0366] The liquid crystal layer 30 including the liquid crystal molecules 30 a which are in a radially-inclined orientation gives light incident upon the liquid crystal layer 30 a phase difference according to the polarization direction thereof. For example, light which is vertically incident upon the liquid crystal layer 30 from the TFT substrate 100 a side becomes linearly-polarized light whose polarization direction is 45° with respect to the slow axis SL1 of the λ/4 plate 60 a as it passes through the polarizing plate 50 a, and is incident upon the λ/4 plate 60 a. The linearly-polarized light is converted into circularly-polarized light as it passes through the λ/4 plate 60 a. The liquid crystal molecules 30 a in a vertical alignment (those liquid crystal molecules located at the center of a radially-inclined orientation) do not give a phase difference to the polarized light which is vertically incident upon the liquid crystal layer 30. Therefore, the circularly-polarized light incident upon a region in which the liquid crystal molecules 30 a are in a vertical alignment passes through the liquid crystal layer 30 while maintaining its polarization, and is incident upon the λ/4 plate 60 b. The circularly-polarized light becomes linearly-polarized light whose polarization direction is 45° with respect to the slow axis SL1 as it passes through the λ/4 plate 60 b, and is incident upon the polarizing plate 50 b. The polarization direction of the linearly-polarized light having passed through the λ/4 plate 60 b is perpendicular to the transmission axis PA1 of the polarizing plate 50 b. Therefore, the linearly-polarized light is absorbed by the polarizing plate 50 b. Thus, a portion of the radially-inclined orientation region of the liquid crystal layer 30 (only the vertical alignment region) produces a black display even in the presence of an applied voltage.

[0367] On the other hand, a portion of the circularly-polarized light (which has resulted through the conversion from linearly-polarized light by the λ/4 plate 60 b) which is incident upon the region including the liquid crystal molecules 30 a other than those in a vertical alignment is given a phase difference by the liquid crystal layer 30. Thus, the polarization of the circularly-polarized light changes (typically, such light becomes elliptically-polarized light). Therefore, a portion of the polarized light having passed through the λ/4 plate 60 b passes through the polarizing plate 50 b. The amount of the polarized light to be transmitted depends upon the magnitude of the phase difference given by the liquid crystal layer 30, and thus can be adjusted by controlling the voltage to be applied across the liquid crystal layer 30. Thus, a gray-scale display can be produced by controlling the voltage to be applied across the liquid crystal layer 30.

[0368] As described above, in the liquid crystal display device 100B further including the λ/4 plates 60 a and 60 b, the only region which produces a black display in the presence of an applied voltage is the vertical alignment region (the center of the radially-inclined orientation), whereby there is less region which produces a black display in the presence of an applied voltage as compared to the liquid crystal display device 100A in which the vertical alignment region and also the region where the liquid crystal molecules are oriented in a direction parallel or perpendicular to the transmission axis of a polarizing plate produce a black display in the presence of an applied voltage. Thus, the liquid crystal display device 100B has a higher light efficiency (effective aperture ratio) than that of the liquid crystal display device 100A, thereby realizing a display with a higher brightness.

[0369] Generally, it is not easy to completely eliminate the wavelength dispersion of the single-layer λ/4 plates 60 a and 60 b. For example, when a λ/4 plate which is designed so as to satisfy the λ/4 conditions for light having a wavelength of 550 nm (light of the highest visibility) is used for the λ/4 plates 60 a and 60 b, the λ/4 plate shifts away from the λ/4 conditions as the wavelength of light shifts away from 550 nm. As a result, when the liquid crystal display device 100B is producing a black display, visible light whose wavelength is shifted from the 550 nm passes through the polarizing plate 50 b, thereby causing the coloring phenomenon.

[0370] In order to suppress the coloring phenomenon in a black display, the transmission axes PA2 and PA1 of the polarizing plates 50 a and 50 b can be arranged perpendicular to each other with the slow axes SL2 and SL1 of the λ/4 plates 60 a and 60 b being also arranged perpendicular to each other, as in a liquid crystal display device 100C illustrated in FIG. 45A and FIG. 45B. The transmission axis PA2 of the polarizing plate 50 a and the slow axis SL2 of the λ/4 plate 60 a form an angle of 45° and the transmission axis PA1 of the polarizing plate 50 b and the slow axis SL1 of the λ/4 plate 60 b also form an angle of 45° in the same direction, as in the liquid crystal display device 100B. When the slow axis SL2 of the λ/4 plate 60 a and the slow axis SL1 of the λ/4 plate 60 b are arranged perpendicular to each other, as described above, the wavelength dispersion of refractive index anisotropy of the λ/4 plate 60 a and that of the λ/4 plate 60 b are canceled out by each other. As a result, visible light over a wide wavelength range is absorbed by the polarizing plate 50 b in a black display, thereby realizing a desirable black display. Particularly, it is preferred to use the same λ/4 plate (or at least λ/4 plates made of the same material) as the λ/4 plate 60 a and as the λ/4 plate 60 b. With such a structure, it is possible to produce a liquid crystal display device at a lower cost as compared to the structure with a broadband λ/4 plate to be described below.

[0371] Another approach for suppressing the occurrence of the coloring phenomenon in a black display due to the wavelength dispersion of refractive index anisotropy of the single-layer λ/4 plates 60 a and 60 b, as described above, is to use a broadband λ/4 plate in place of a single λ/4 plate. A broadband λ/4 plate is made of a plurality of phase plates laminated together so as to cancel out the influence of the wavelength dispersion, thereby satisfying the λ/4 conditions across the entire visible range (400 nm to 800 nm). For example, a broadband λ/4 plate can be produced by laminating together a single-layer λ/4 plate and a single-layer half-wave plate (hereinafter, referred to as a “λ/2 plate”).

[0372] A liquid crystal display device 100D illustrated in FIG. 46A to FIG. 46C includes the polarizing plates 50 a and 50 b, the λ/4 plates 60 a and 60 b, and λ/2 plates 70 a and 70 b respectively on the opposing sides of the liquid crystal display device 100. On the outer side (the side away from the liquid crystal layer 30) of the TFT substrate 100 a, the λ/4 plate 60 a, the λ/2 plate 70 a and the polarizing plate 50 a are provided in this order from the liquid crystal layer 30 side. On the outer side of the counter substrate 100 b, the λ/4 plate 60 b, the λ/2 plate 70 b and the polarizing plate 50 b are provided in this order from the liquid crystal layer 30 side.

[0373] The λ/4 plate 60 b, the λ/2 plate 70 b and the polarizing plate 50 b are provided on the counter substrate 100 b so that the respective optical axes are arranged as illustrated in FIG. 46B. The arrangement is such that the angle between the transmission axis PA1 of the polarizing plate 50 b and the slow axis SL1 of the λ/4 plate 60 b is 2α±45°, wherein α(°) denotes the angle between the transmission axis PA1 of the polarizing plate 50 b and the slow axis SL3 of the λ/2 plate 70 b.

[0374] On the other hand, the λ/4 plate 60 a, the λ/2 plate 70 a and the polarizing plate 50 a are provided on the TFT substrate 100 a so that the respective optical axes are arranged as illustrated in FIG. 46C. The arrangement is such that the angle between the transmission axis PA2 of the polarizing plate 50 a and the slow axis SL2 of the λ/4 plate 60 a is 2β±45°, wherein β(°) denotes the angle between the transmission axis PA2 of the polarizing plate 50 a and the slow axis SL4 of the λ/2 plate 70 a. Moreover, the angle (2β±45°) between the transmission axis PA2 of the polarizing plate 50 a and the slow axis SL2 of the λ/4 plate 60 a is selected so as to have the same sign as that of the angle (2α±45°) between the transmission axis PA1 of the polarizing plate 50 b and the slow axis SL1 of the λ/4 plate 60 b. That is, the arrangement is such that the angle between the transmission axis PA2 and the slow axis SL2 is 2β+45° when the angle between the transmission axis PA1 and the slow axis SL1 is 2α+45 °.

[0375] Light vertically incident upon the liquid crystal layer 30 in a vertical alignment from the TFT substrate 100 a side becomes linearly-polarized light as it passes through the polarizing plate 50 a. Then, it passes through the λ/2 plate 70 a and becomes linearly-polarized light having a polarization direction at an angle of 2β with respect to the transmission axis PA2 of the polarizing plate 50 a. The linearly-polarized light is incident upon the λ/4 plate 60 a and is converted into circularly-polarized light. The circularly-polarized light passes through the liquid crystal layer 30 while maintaining its polarization, and is incident upon the λ/4 plate 60 b. The light is converted by the λ/4 plate 60 b into linearly-polarized light whose polarization direction is at an angle of 45° with respect to the slow axis SL1 of the λ/4 plate 60 b. The linearly-polarized light is incident upon the λ/2 plate 70 b, becomes linearly-polarized light whose polarization direction is at an angle of 2β+45° with respect to the slow axis SL1 of the λ/4 plate 60 b, and is then incident upon the polarizing plate 50 b. The polarization direction of the linearly-polarized light having passed through the λ/2 plate 70 b is perpendicular to the transmission axis PA1 of the polarizing plate 50 b, and thus the linearly-polarized light is absorbed by the polarizing plate 50 b. Thus, the liquid crystal display device 100D produces a black display in the absence of an applied voltage.

[0376] In the liquid crystal display device 100D, the λ/2 plate 70 a and the λ/2 plate 70 b are provided respectively between the λ/4 plate 60 a and the polarizing plate 50 a and between the λ/4 plate 60 b and the polarizing plate 50 b, and the λ/2 plate 70 a and the λ/2 plate 70 b reduce the wavelength dispersion of refractive index anisotropy of the λ/4 plates 60 a and 60 b, respectively, thereby realizing a desirable black display without coloring.

[0377] In order to further suppress the occurrence of the coloring phenomenon in a black display, it is possible to employ the structure of a liquid crystal display device 100E as illustrated in FIG. 47A to FIG. 47C, in which the transmission axes PA2 and PA1 of the polarizing plates 50 a and 50 b are perpendicular to each other, 

What is claimed is:
 1. A liquid crystal display device, comprising: a first substrate, a second substrate, and a liquid crystal layer provided between the first substrate and the second substrate; and a plurality of picture element regions each defined by a first electrode provided on one side of the first substrate which is closer to the liquid crystal layer and a second electrode provided on the second substrate so as to oppose the first electrode via the liquid crystal layer, wherein: the liquid crystal layer in each of the plurality of picture element regions takes a vertical alignment in the absence of an applied voltage between the first electrode and the second electrode, and changes its orientation according to a voltage applied between the first electrode and the second electrode; the first electrode includes a lower conductive layer, a dielectric layer covering at least a portion of the lower conductive layer, and an upper conductive layer provided on one side of the dielectric layer which is closer to the liquid crystal layer; and the upper conductive layer includes at least one first opening, and the lower conductive layer is provided so as to oppose at least a portion of the at least one first opening via the dielectric layer.
 2. The liquid crystal display device of claim 1 , wherein the lower conductive layer is provided in a region including a region opposing the at least one first opening via the dielectric layer.
 3. The liquid crystal display device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one first opening has a square shape.
 4. The liquid crystal display device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one first opening has a circular shape.
 5. The liquid crystal display device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one first opening of the upper conductive layer includes a plurality of first openings.
 6. The liquid crystal display device of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of first openings of the upper conductive layer are regularly arranged.
 7. The liquid crystal display device of claim 1 , wherein the dielectric layer includes a depressed portion or an opening in the at least one first opening.
 8. The liquid crystal display device of claim 1 , wherein the lower conductive layer includes a second opening in a region opposing the first opening.
 9. The liquid crystal display device of claim 1 , wherein one of the upper conductive layer and the lower conductive layer is a transparent conductive layer, and the other one of the upper conductive layer and the lower conductive layer is a reflective conductive layer.
 10. The liquid crystal display device of claim 1 , wherein: the at least one first opening of the upper conductive layer includes a plurality of first opening; and a plurality of liquid crystal domains are formed in response to a voltage applied between the first electrode and the second electrode, each of the plurality of liquid crystal domains being formed in the liquid crystal layer corresponding to respective one of the first openings provided in the first electrode, and having a radially-inclined orientation.
 11. The liquid crystal display device of claim 10 , wherein the second substrate further includes an orientation-regulating structure in a region corresponding to at least one of the plurality of liquid crystal domains, the orientation-regulating structure exerting an orientation-regulating force for orienting liquid crystal molecules in the at least one liquid crystal domain into a radially-inclined orientation at least in the presence of an applied voltage.
 12. The liquid crystal display device of claim 11 , wherein the orientation-regulating structure is provided in a region corresponding to a region in the vicinity of a center of the at least one liquid crystal domain.
 13. The liquid crystal display device of claim 11 , wherein in the at least one liquid crystal domain, a direction of orientation regulation by the orientation-regulating structure coincides with a direction of the radially-inclined orientation.
 14. The liquid crystal display device of claim 11 , wherein the orientation-regulating structure exerts an orientation-regulating force for orienting the liquid crystal molecules into a radially-inclined orientation even in the absence of an applied voltage.
 15. The liquid crystal display device of claim 14 , wherein the orientation-regulating structure is a protrusion protruding from the second substrate into the liquid crystal layer.
 16. The liquid crystal display device of claim 14 , wherein the orientation-regulating structure includes a surface having a horizontal alignment power provided on one side of the second substrate which is closer to the liquid crystal layer.
 17. The liquid crystal display device of claim 11 , wherein the orientation-regulating structure exerts an orientation-regulating force for orienting the liquid crystal molecules into a radially-inclined orientation only in the presence of an applied voltage.
 18. The liquid crystal display device of claim 17 , wherein the orientation-regulating structure includes an opening provided in the second electrode.
 19. The liquid crystal display device of claim 1 , further comprising a pair of polarizing plates provided so as to oppose each other via the liquid crystal layer, wherein the pair of polarizing plates are arranged in a crossed-Nicols state.
 20. The liquid crystal display device of claim 19 , further comprising a pair of quarter-wave plates provided so as to oppose each other via the liquid crystal layer, wherein each of the pair of quarter-wave plates is provided between the liquid crystal layer and a respective one of the pair of polarizing plates.
 21. The liquid crystal display device of claim 20 , further comprising a pair of half-wave plates provided so as to oppose each other via the liquid crystal layer, wherein each of the pair of half-wave plates is provided between a respective one of the pair of polarizing plates and a respective one of the pair of quarter-wave plates.
 22. The liquid crystal display device of claim 20 , wherein slow axes of the pair of quarter-wave plates are arranged so as to be perpendicular to each other.
 23. The liquid crystal display device of claim 20 , wherein slow axes of the pair of half-wave plates are arranged so as to be perpendicular to each other.
 24. The liquid crystal display device of claim 20 , wherein the liquid crystal layer in each of the plurality of picture element regions takes a spiral orientation in response to a voltage applied between the first electrode and the second electrode.
 25. The liquid crystal display device of claim 24 , wherein the liquid crystal layer in each of the plurality of picture element regions includes a minute region which takes a twist orientation along the liquid crystal layer in response to the voltage applied between the first electrode and the second electrode.
 26. The liquid crystal display device of claim 1 , wherein: the first substrate further includes an active element for each of the plurality of picture element regions; and the first electrode is a picture element electrode which is provided for each of the plurality of picture element regions and is switched by the active element, and the second electrode is at least one counter electrode opposing the plurality of picture element regions.
 27. A liquid crystal display device, comprising: a first substrate, a second substrate, and a liquid crystal layer provided between the first substrate and the second substrate; and a plurality of picture element regions each defined by a first electrode provided on one side of the first substrate which is closer to the liquid crystal layer and a second electrode provided on the second substrate so as to oppose the first electrode via the liquid crystal layer, wherein: the first electrode includes a lower conductive layer, a dielectric layer covering at least a portion of the lower conductive layer, and an upper conductive layer provided on one side of the dielectric layer which is closer to the liquid crystal layer; and in each of the plurality of picture element regions, the upper conductive layer includes a plurality of openings and a solid portion, the liquid crystal layer taking a vertical alignment in the absence of an applied voltage between the first electrode and the second electrode, a plurality of liquid crystal domains being formed in the plurality of openings or in the solid portion by inclined electric fields produced at respective edge portions of the plurality of openings of the upper conductive layer in response to a voltage applied between the first electrode and the second electrode, each of the plurality of liquid crystal domains taking a radially-inclined orientation, and an orientation of each of the plurality of liquid crystal domains changing according to the applied voltage, thereby producing a display.
 28. The liquid crystal display device of claim 27 , wherein at least some of the plurality of openings have substantially the same shape and substantially the same size, and form at least one unit lattice arranged so as to have rotational symmetry.
 29. The liquid crystal display device of claim 28 , wherein a shape of each of the at least some of the plurality of openings has rotational symmetry.
 30. The liquid crystal display device of claim 28 , wherein each of the at least some of the plurality of openings has a generally circular shape.
 31. The liquid crystal display device of claim 28 , wherein the solid portion includes a plurality of unit solid portions each of which is substantially surrounded by the at least one opening, and each of the plurality of unit solid portions has a generally circular shape.
 32. The liquid crystal display device of claim 27 , wherein in each of the plurality of picture element regions, a total area of the plurality of openings of the first electrode is smaller than an area of the solid portion of the first electrode.
 33. The liquid crystal display device of claim 27 , further comprising a protrusion within each of the plurality of openings, the protrusion having the same cross-sectional shape in a plane of the first substrate as that of the plurality of openings, a side surface of the protrusion having an orientation-regulating force of the same direction with respect to liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer as a direction of orientation regulation by the inclined electric field.
 34. The liquid crystal display device of claim 27 , wherein: the first substrate further includes an active element provided for each of the plurality of picture element regions; and the first electrode is a picture element electrode which is provided for each of the plurality of picture element regions and is switched by the active element, and the second electrode is at least one counter electrode opposing the plurality of picture element regions.
 35. A liquid crystal display device, comprising: a first substrate, a second substrate, and a liquid crystal layer provided between the first substrate and the second substrate; and a plurality of picture element regions each defined by a first electrode provided on one side of the first substrate which is closer to the liquid crystal layer and a second electrode provided on the second substrate so as to oppose the first electrode via the liquid crystal layer, wherein: in each of the plurality of picture element regions, the liquid crystal layer takes a vertical alignment in the absence of an applied voltage between the first electrode and the second electrode, and changes its orientation according to a voltage applied between the first electrode and the second electrode; the first electrode includes a lower conductive layer, a first dielectric layer including a first opening, a second dielectric layer provided on the lower conductive layer and the first dielectric layer, and an upper conductive layer provided on one side of the second dielectric layer which is closer to the liquid crystal layer; and the upper conductive layer includes at least one conductive layer opening, the lower conductive layer being provided so as to oppose at least a portion of the at least one conductive layer opening via the second dielectric layer, the first opening being provided so as to correspond to the conductive layer opening, and a height of a surface of the second dielectric layer being smaller in the conductive layer opening than in a region where the upper conductive layer is provided.
 36. The liquid crystal display device of claim 35 , wherein the first dielectric layer is provided on the lower conductive layer, and the first opening is formed so as to expose a portion of the lower conductive layer.
 37. The liquid crystal display device of claim 35 , wherein the first dielectric layer is provided under the lower conductive layer, and the lower conductive layer is provided so as to cover the first opening.
 38. The liquid crystal display device of claim 35 , wherein the first substrate further includes a third dielectric layer under the lower conductive layer, and the third dielectric layer includes a second opening in a region corresponding to the conductive layer opening.
 39. The liquid crystal display device of claim 38 , wherein the first substrate further includes a thin film transistor, and the third dielectric layer also functions as a gate insulating film of the thin film transistor.
 40. A method for producing a liquid crystal display device, the liquid crystal display device comprising a first substrate, a second substrate, a liquid crystal layer provided between the first substrate and the second substrate, and a plurality of picture element regions each defined by a first electrode provided on one side of the first substrate which is closer to the liquid crystal layer and a second electrode provided on the second substrate so as to oppose the first electrode via the liquid crystal layer, wherein: the first electrode includes a lower conductive layer, a first dielectric layer including a first opening, a second dielectric layer provided on the lower conductive layer and the first dielectric layer, and an upper conductive layer provided on one side of the second dielectric layer which is closer to the liquid crystal layer; and the upper conductive layer includes at least one conductive layer opening, the lower conductive layer being provided so as to oppose at least a portion of the at least one conductive layer opening via the second dielectric layer, the step of providing the first electrode comprising the steps of: providing a lower conductive layer on a substrate; providing a first dielectric layer including a first opening on the substrate; providing a second dielectric layer on the lower conductive layer and the first dielectric layer, wherein a height of the second dielectric layer is greater in a region corresponding to the first opening than in other regions; and providing an upper conductive layer including a conductive layer opening on the second dielectric layer in the region corresponding to the first opening.
 41. The method for producing a liquid crystal display device of claim 40 , wherein the first dielectric layer is provided on the lower conductive layer so that the lower conductive layer is exposed through the first opening.
 42. The method for producing a liquid crystal display device of claim 40 , wherein the lower conductive layer is provided on the first dielectric layer so as to cover at least the first opening of the first dielectric layer.
 43. The method for producing a liquid crystal display device of claim 40 , further comprising, before the step of providing the lower conductive layer, the step of providing a third dielectric layer including a second opening on the substrate.
 44. The method for producing a liquid crystal display device of claim 43 , further comprising the step of providing a thin film transistor on the substrate, wherein the third dielectric layer is provided so as to also function as a gate insulating film of the thin film transistor.
 45. A method for producing a liquid crystal display device, the liquid crystal display device comprising a first substrate, a second substrate, a liquid crystal layer provided between the first substrate and the second substrate, and a plurality of picture element regions each defined by a first electrode provided on one side of the first substrate which is closer to the liquid crystal layer and a second electrode provided on the second substrate so as to oppose the first electrode via the liquid crystal layer, wherein: the first electrode includes a lower conductive layer, a dielectric layer covering at least a portion of the lower conductive layer, and an upper conductive layer provided on one side of the dielectric layer which is closer to the liquid crystal layer; and the upper conductive layer includes at least one conductive layer opening, and the lower conductive layer is provided so as to oppose at least a portion of the at least one conductive layer opening via the dielectric layer, the step of providing the first electrode comprising the steps of: providing a lower conductive layer on a substrate; providing a dielectric film on the lower conductive layer; providing an upper conductive layer including a conductive layer opening on the dielectric film; and partially removing a dielectric film in the conductive layer opening using the upper conductive layer as a mask so as to provide a dielectric layer, wherein a height of a surface of the dielectric layer is smaller in a region corresponding to the conductive layer opening than in other regions. 